Sotto to remove odd-even traffic scheme in major Pasig roads on first day in office
By JHON ALDRIN CASINAS
Pasig City Mayor-elect Vico Sotto said he will end the “ineffective” traffic coding scheme implemented on selected roads in the city once he assumes office.
“Proud po akong sabihin at lagi ko pong sinasabi na ako lang po ang konsehal na tumutol dun sa odd-even na coding scheme sa Pasig, at tatanggalin ko po kaagad yan (I am proud to say and I always mention that I was the lone councilor that opposed that odd-even coding scheme in Pasig, and I will remove it immediately),” Sotto said in a DZMM radio interview.
The odd-even traffic scheme has been in effect along Elisco Road, R. Jabson Street, San Guillermo Street, Sandoval Avenue, and F. Legaspi Brindge since its implementation in September 2016.
The scheme prohibits four-wheeled vehicles with license plates ending with even numbers from passing the selected roads every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
While on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, vehicles with license plates ending with odd numbers are not allowed to use the thoroughfares.
Although, he admitted that he would still need the approval of the city council, Sotto said that it was possible to suspend the implementation of traffic scheme.
“Yung pagkasulat po sa ordinansa ay puwede po natin siyang i-suspend. So in effect, matatanggal po siya (The way how the ordinance was written allows it to be suspended. So in effect, it can be removed),” the 29-year-old Sotto said.
The newly-elected mayor also said the scheme was not able to address the traffic woes in the city since motorists only avoid the areas where the scheme was in effect.
“If you look at the big picture, di siya nakakatulong sa traffic at nagagalit ang mga kalapit naming LGU (If you look at the big picture, it is not helping with the traffic and nearby local government units were burdened),” Sotto said.
Last March, the then-mayoral candidate expressed his opposition to the traffic scheme and his plan to remove it if ever he will be elected.
“Happy to report that I was the only councilor who opposed the odd-even scheme,” Sotto said in a reply tweet last March 26.
“It is unfair and ineffective if we look at the big picture. I will remove it on my first day of office,” he added.