MANY have observed that the flow of vehicular traffic in the periphery of the Cogon Public Market would have improved dramatically if only pedestrian traffic is also consistently addressed. Even with the substantial reduction in the number of ambulant vendors, much can still be improved as regards vehicular traffic.
One who motors JR Borja Street right in front of the public market will have to unnecessarily stop every now and then just to traverse that stretch from Vicente Roa to Osmeña. The reason is all over ― pedestrians crossing JR Borja at will all over the place.
The Night Market Management Committee headed by Mayor Klarex Uy himself, with former councilor Eric Salcedo as his co-chairman, has recently looked into this.
On Tuesday, the Committee conducted a dry-run on controlling pedestrian traffic along JR Borja Street by limiting the number of usable pedestrian lanes and having traffic aides man passable lanes so pedestrians could cross by batch.
There are two groups of traffic aides in Cogon. One is those who are tasked to manage traffic flow, and the other are members of the Roads and Sidewalks Clearing Unit whose main job is, as the unit’s name suggests, rid roads and sidewalks of obstructions.
The group therefore that directs vehicular traffic could also manage the flow of pedestrians who cross from one side of the road to the other. This, the Committee sees would dramatically improve traffic in the Cogon market area.
The Committee will then evaluate the findings of the dry run before the scheme will see its final form in an Executive Order.
Happy motoring, everyone!
