MMDA shares traffic management expertise with Davao City

A delegation from the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) arrived in Davao City on Monday to begin the five-day assessment of the traffic situation in the city and consequently provide technical assistance to the Davao City Traffic and Transport Management Office (CTTMO).

The assessment will be the basis in the formulation of a traffic management plan and a capacity-building training course for CTTMO personnel.

The training course aims to strengthen the traffic management system in the city and improve the day-to-day traffic conditions in metropolitan Davao.

A team of 15 personnel from three MMDA divisions (Traffic Planning and Design Division, Traffic Signal Operation and Maintenance Division, and Traffic Education Division), headed by MMDA Traffic Engineering Center Director Engr. Neomie Recio, will be conducting a study on the city’s traffic and transportation schemes to determine the gaps in design, technology, policy, and other aspects of traffic management.

From February 20-25, the MMDA team will gather data via traffic count, road inventory survey, ocular inspection of existing traffic signal facilities as well as focus group discussions on the formulation of capacity-building training course which they intend to craft and propose to the local government by March.

Recio said that as Davao City continues to grow, its traffic system is bound to get more complex and will require an effective traffic management plan. She added a thorough study of the current traffic situation in Davao City is vital in determining whether the current traffic management system enforced by the CTTMO requires a complete overhaul or simply needs recalibration in policy, technology or design.

“May mga areas talaga na congested, especially sa mga signal light intersections so sabi ko nga na kapag ang isang lugar ay nagkakaroon ng traffic congestion, ibig sabihin umunlad siya kasi kaakibat yan ng development (Some areas are really congested, especially in signal light intersections so, as I have said if there is traffic congestion in a place it means that place is progressing because that is linked to development),” Recio said.

“Kaya kailangan na nating gumuwa ng paraan so gawan natin ng traffic management plan itong Davao City para hindi siya matulad sa Manila na kumbaga ngayon pa tayo kikilos eh andiyan na (That is why we need to find a way so we will craft a traffic management plan for Davao City so it will not become just like Manila where the problems are already there but we’re trying to solve them just now),” she added.

Traffic engineering, traffic enforcement and traffic education are the three central disciplines in traffic management that will be assessed in the five-day program.

“As of now, we need help from other advanced cities, just like in Metro Manila, considering we need a traffic management plan. I requested the MMDA to help us na makita kung unsa ang kailangan sa Davao. So with that, kung unsa ilang data og ilang recommendation, i-adopt nato (I requested MMDA to help us figure out what we have to do in Davao. So with that, whatever they find in their studies and their recommendations, we will adopt),” said CTTMO head Dionisio Abude.

The CTTMO chief added that their office has recommended 10 areas with the most traffic congestion to be subject for the MMDA-led study: Matina Crossing, Catalunan Grande, C.P. Garcia, Sandawa intersection, Quirino-Pichon, Quirino-Ponciano, San Pedro-Quirino, McArthur Highway—Maa, Panacan and Malagamot. CIO