The City Government pushes moves to amend several provisions of the traffic code as well as introduce new measures to address traffic violations and impose road discipline in city streets.

City Administrator Apple Go said the Local Traffic Ordinance is undergoing a careful study, backed up by sufficient data that went through scientific processes in line with the move to amend some of its provisions. She said the code has to be dynamic in light of the changing times.

The proposed amendments include among others the establishment of loading and unloading zones as well as terminals for both east and west coast bound vehicles and routes will be properly identified according to the demand of the riding public. The transport associations are to come up with storage areas as the Central Business District will merely be for roving utility vehicles.

Hand in hand with the proposed amendment of the traffic code are the utilization of towing vehicles which the city has purchased – one for two-wheel vehicles and the other for four-wheeled vehicles, according to Go.

The modernization and no phase out of tricycles is in the offing, the City Administrator said in a television interview the other day.  The memorandum of agreement with lending institutions has been finalized wherein tricycle operators can avail of loads through cooperatives.  As of last month, the city has recorded close to 200 applicants for the modernization program.

On the other hand, Go said, the City government the Local Transport Public Route Plan, a requirement of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is about to be completed. “And once this accepted, we see the next process. This is the modernization not only for tricycles but for utility jeepnies as well.”

On the other hand, Go revealed, the City is scouting for idle lots for the establishment of a public parking building and several offers have been received as of last week.

Hand in hand with all these will be the strict implementation of the building code specifically the requirement for commercial establishments to provide their own parking areas depending on the size.

Go is confident that most if not all of the plans will be achieved within the third term of Mayor Beng Climaco. “That is the goal, it can be achieved.” She added. (Sheila Covarrubias)