Dumaguete Traffic Management

If you are the driver or commuter, how would you feel if you are stuck in a traffic without

knowing what is happening? As those torturous seconds tick by, have you not thought of any

possible solutions? Road widening for more driving space? Road diversion to have an alternate

route to avoid heavy traffic? Even pay parking instead of sidewalk space? Or amongst others that

you wished to exist. Though it may seem impossible, but you hoped for a relief.

Day after day, people are getting aggravated by the traffic in the City that is becoming more

serious. The limited capacity, indiscriminate parking and street trading results to severe traffic

congestion in the primary road. The current road network in Dumaguete is incapable of sustaining

the increase number of vehicles, while tourism is on the risk as population increase, and as

economy grows. Moreover, are streets are affected by issues concerning sidewalk vendors,

parking, traffic accidents, construction works and special events (Ablong, 2016). Although traffic

denotes economic growth, disregarding this issue leads to negative impact in terms of delays of

commuters, increased vehicle operating cost, and lost to economic output. The impact is relevant

and actions must be taken.

Road widening is a candidate to be a solution due to the lanes that we usually have now.

These lanes consists of one lane going south and another one for the opposite direction. Having

different speed and having different routes are one of the reasons why traffic is present and having

one lane for each direction can cause much. When roads are widen, the possibility of having a

slow-speed and fast-speed lanes can be practiced. As the driver, one would be aware on where to

step in their pedals depending on which lane they are in thus making the traffic much more

bearable.
Having events planned such as festival parades, charter day parades, special day parades, and being

a University Town, founder’s day parade are present and inevitable. These joyous events causes

traffic that irritates commuters, followed by a fuss on what is happening, and then try to make a

getaway to find some ways less traffic. Diversion roads would cope up this temporary yet planned

traffic. Diversion roads are special route arranged for traffic when the normal route cannot be used

(Collins Dictionary). Having mostly the parades on rush hours adds up to the problem. And

knowing and planning which diversion routes are accessible ahead of time saves a lot of hassle

and helps one to avoid being trafficked for hours.

To park anywhere in the city seems to be practiced every now and then as long as there are

no signs saying so. With this practice, this adds up to the traffic congestion we are facing right

now. These so-called parking space was supposedly to be a sidewalk. And seeing such lots that

are not used are of waste and uselessness. When this two combined, this can help in easing the

traffic congestion. Such pay parking practice will be implemented in Davao to address this issue

in this year, 2019, having ₱20 for the first hour and ₱10 per hour for the succeeding hours until

then (Casamayor, 2018).

Traffic problem in Dumaguete needs to be addressed. Road widening, road diversion, and

pay parking can counter the critical reasons of traffic congestion. If all of these are implemented,

consistency and discipline must be considered to see its ongoing and long run effect that will

benefit the people and the community.

Flordelyn M. Ramirez

GE5-2:00–3:00 PM MWF
References

Ablong, W. (2016). Need for a traffic management plan. Retrieved from March 18, 2019, from

http://dumaguetemetropost.com/need-for-a-traffic-management-plan-p6883-635.htm

Casamayor, L. A. (2018). Davao to implement pay parking soon. Retrieved March 19, 2019, from

www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1770424

road diversion. 2019. In Collinsdictionary.com. Retrieved March 20, 2019, from

www.collinsdictionary.com%2Fdictionary%2Fenglish%2Ftraffic-diversion