Goodbye to traffic woes
TWO IMPORTANT events that changed our traffic situation happened last Saturday, the first day of July. Finally, after a lot of complaining from motorists and commuters, the first phase of the coastal road was finally opened to the public, with Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Vice Pres Sara Duterte and government executives leading the much awaited event. This will cut short travel time from the south to the downtown area, and decongest the MacArthur Highway, as well. On social media, netizens confirmed the ease they experienced using the coastal road, not to mention the aesthetics along the way.
Another project on the pipeline is the Php 73.4 Billion Project funded by the Asian Development Bank and the local government. The Davao Public Transport Modernization Project’s funding agreement was signed by Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista and ADB president Masatsugu Asakawa.
Like the coastal road, DPTMP is aimed at addressing urban congestion and mobility challenges in Davao City. Funding will be divided as: 60 percent from the ADB loan, DoTr, 40 percent and the rest (Php1.5B) will be coming from the local government.
This bus-based public transport system is designed to be safer, more efficient, reliable, and accessible than existing modes. Among its features are:well-maintained and air-conditioned vehicles, fixed headways, operating schedules, formal bus stops, and an automated fare collection system.
The buses are electric vehicles that will have a total length network of :672 kilometers with a system designed to operate on a 4-tier hierarchical structure: Metro Davao – core services that connect all major commercial centers; DavaoFeeder – 9 routes that link smaller centers and dispersed populations; DavaoInter – 8 routes that connect inner urban areas to the Central Business District (CBD), and; DavaoLocal – links outer rural areas with integrated terminals
These projects are designed to make our city more livable and put an end to our traffic woes.
