Friday, January 9

Traffic Management

"Traffic management is a term used to embody the activities undertaken by a highway transportation agency to improve roadway system safety, efficiency, and effectiveness for both providers and consumers of transportation services. There are two distinct types of traffic management. The first one utilizes traditional traffic engineering tools or simple devices to regulate or control traffic. The second relies more on advanced technology through the use of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS)." (Sigua, 2008)

In the Philippines, there are several government agencies which deal with traffic management. These agencies include the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Traffic Engine­ering Center, Philip­pine Na­tional Police-Traffic Management Group, and the Land Transportation Office. According to Lidasan as mentioned in a news report, poor coordination among government agencies occur since their functions and responsibilities often overlap. Moreover, even if policy making and implementation or enforcement are assigned to specific agencies, these organizations usually disregard or bypass one another in the performance of their functions. The following paragraphs further identify the key roles of the different agencies for an effective traffic management.

MMDA’s role is primarily to coordinate and integrate the efforts of local governments and the central government in drawing up policies and plans and implementing transport projects within Metro Manila. The responsibility for road construction and maintenance is divided between DPWH for national roads and LGUs for local roads. The DPWH Traffic Engineering Center has taken the responsibility for road planning that requires traffic engineering. DOTC is in charge of regulating vehicle fleet and driver licensing through its Land Transportation Office. The Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board regulates public transport services and fares. DOTC also plans the extensions to Metro Manila’s rail systems through the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) and the Philippine National Railways.

Responsibilities for traffic management, however, should not just be relied upon the government agencies but a collaborative effort among the policy makers, implementors as well as the ordinary people - even children in grade school to senior citizens. Every citizen has to be educated about r
oad traffic safety rules and signs. Rep. Narciso D. Santiago III has filed House Bill 4745 which aims to have a separate subject integrated in the grade school and high school curricula that includes the teaching of road traffic safety rules and signs since young people are the easiest to train.



Sources:
  • Fundamentals of Traffic Engineering, Sigua, R., University of the Philippines Press 2008
  • Institutional bottleneck slows down response to traffic problem. November 12, 2002. Manila Times (http://www.manilatimes.net/others/special/2002/nov/12/20021112spe1.html)
  • Road traffic safety rules and signs to be taught in school. August 17, 2008. (http://www.gov.ph/news/default.asp?i=21908)

12 comments:

  1. Can I have information about the traffic statistics in the Philippines? Specifically in Manila or Antipolo city.

    email me at wendellmarkchua@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. hi!
    what road characteristic (taffic volume, speed, travel time, etc) are you interested in?
    I can suggest some libraries like National Center for Transportation Studies (in UP Diliman), and MMDA that you can visit. =)

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  3. any article for TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT in the PHILIPPINE

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  4. hi Einjel, i need help on getting data on the daily vehicular volume count in the greater manila area specifically in mahjor cities and highways like makati, ortigas, pasig, alabang, greenhills/sanjuan, marikina, sucat, paranaque, manila, c5 EDSA northbound and southbound. is there an online source where i can get info on this?

    thanks

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  5. Our company is looking for experienced traffic engineer to be hired as a consultant.

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  6. Hi Sir Amador,

    Its been a while but I hope you're still looking for a traffic engineer. Can I have your contact number so I could recommend some friends I know? I do know some MS students/graduates, would you be interested to employ them?

    Thank you.

    Sincerely,
    Engr. Einjel

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  7. hi...can i ask where can i get the basic pedestrian overpass principles in the Philippines?

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  8. hi Einjel can ask a data about traffic management? if you don't mined where can i found? thank you..

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  9. Hi Einjel.. have you seen other areas that has traffic lights? where do you think has the most advanced traffic system here in the Philippines.

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  10. Hi Einjel,

    Do you know any local universities in the metro offering traffic management course?

    Thanks

    RJCC

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi RJCC,

      University of the Philippines National Center for Transportation Studies (UP NCTS) conducts several training in the field of transportation. One of the training programs is Traffic Administration Course which is very related to traffic management you're looking for.

      UP NCTS is in Diliman, Quezon City.

      Regards,
      Einjel

      Delete
  11. To whom it may concern,

    I retired as a Highway Civil Engineer in California. I worked 8 years as a consultant for Parsons Corp, Lochner Inc., and Pountney and Associates,in between my 22+ years career in the California Dept of Transportation, Caltrans.

    Currently, I am not really retired. I am a general engineering contractor, which specializes in cities and state public works.

    If there is a need for my consulting voluntary work as a Transportation Engineer, let me know. I do have plenty of issues on Philippine signing,roadway channelization and barriers, roadway safety, and pavement delineation. I am usually in the Philippines during the month of January and February residing in my condo at Newport City Resort across NAIA3.

    Even though I am on vacation, I would like to contribute my expertise in light rail and highway transportation engineering.

    Ed Petil, PE, GEC, AVS
    Petil Construction & Engineering, Inc.
    www.petil-pce.com
    e-mail: info@petil-pce.com

    ReplyDelete