Governor explains road plans

 TRAFFIC congestion in Port Moresby has become a headache for its residents, especially students and workers during rush hours. The National Capital District Commission is drawing up plans to build new roads and extend others to ease traffic flow. 

The National’s MIRIAM MALAWA spoke to National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop about the plans.

The National: There has been growing concern for some time over the traffic congestion problems in the capital city particularly during peak hours. What are your short-term plans to fix this?

Parkop:  To ease congestion, we are working on opening other access roads in the city in the immediate to medium term. 

This includes linking Rainbow to Ensisi Valley to Tokarara and onto Hohola to cater for traffic from Gerehu; linking Magani Road at the back of parliament to Morata and onto to Gerehu stage 1 and while we are waiting for the flyover to resolve the daily lock-up at Erima roundabout, we intend to open the road to two lanes after the roundabout towards 8-Mile so traffic can flow smoothly. 

We are also considering shutting down Kookabarra street and Spoonbill Drive between 6am and 9am and 4pm to 6pm to allow traffic to flow smoothly along Poreporena Freeway to the airport and onto 8-Mile and 9-Mile, etc. This will be temporary until the flyover is completed.

The National: There are plans to build a flyover bridge linking the eastern part of the city to the central business district in Waigani to alleviate traffic congestion problem. What are your other long-term plans?

Parkop:  We plan to have overhead bridges at Koki, Badili, Hohola across Wards Road and Waigani across Waigani Drive from the bus stop near Mobil Service Station to the bus stop near Waigani police station. 

The long-term plan to ease traffic includes extending Magani Drive at the back of parliament to Morata and on to Gerehu stage 1. 

This road will cater for the Pacific Games Village and also ease traffic reliance on Waigani Drive out of Gerehu. We also intend to link Rainbow to Ensisi and onto Tokarara to also ease traffic to and from Gerehu every day. I will announce other initiatives later.

 The National: You mentioned in an interview with this newspaper in January that the national government is allocating K600 million for road infrastructure over the next three years, with the NCDC contributing K150 million. What specific areas will this funding cover to ease traffic flow?

Parkop: Actually, under the budget, the government has allocated K100 million and we have been promised K500 million in other funding this year. This K500 million may be in the form of a loan. 

The money will be earmarked for the following road projects: Gerehu to 8-Mile and 9-Mile (four-lane road); Gerehu to Badihagwa (four-lane road with a bypass at Barunis); connecting Sir John Guise Drive to Kookabarra Street and then the flyover to the airport; constructing a four-lane road from Erima roundabout to the 9-Mile portion on the Hubert Murray Highway; rehabilitation of the Gordon industrial area road and exiting at the back of SP Brewery and finally doing the Papa Hill ring road. 

The National: The number of vehicles using public roads has been steadily increasing, without any corresponding expansion to road infrastructure. What is being done, if anything, to regulate the increase in vehicles?

Parkop:  We do not have plans to regulate the increase in vehicles yet. We plan to introduce parking meters and probably electronic tolling on some roads into congested areas as a means of controlling private vehicle use. 

There must be corresponding improvements in public transport and as you know we operate a number of buses. 

We will increase the numbers so that the public have a choice between privately-owned public transport operators and a public-owned one. 

I have also directed a private engineering company to design a train or tram system in the city. I will be meeting them soon to further explore this possibility.

The National: Introducing city by-laws to govern road use (observing the road code) and driver conduct (such as using mobile phones while driving) could be an option.  What are your views on this? 

Parkop: Yes, but these powers are vested with the National Road Safety Council (NRSC), the Motor Vehicle Insurance Ltd and the National Road Transport Board (NRTB) in the city so I expect them to initiate such 

by-laws. 

I am not pleased with the NRSC which seems to have taken over the role of the traffic police and is not attending to its other mandated responsibilities, including helping to ensure roads, highways and freeways are free of obstructions. 

I am also disappointed with the NRTB for not addressing or having plans for the public transport system in the city even though it is legally its responsibility.

The National: Can you provide an update on your plan to introduce CCTV cameras and employ private security guards in the city?

Parkop: It’s being done. There are some cameras already positioned in public areas. We will have over 20 cameras in public places.