President Varela Announces Urban Mobility Plan

[Keith Woolford]

President Varela announces reduction of the fare in both corridors and other measures of the Urban Mobility Plan

 

The Government increases penalties for drivers who provide the service in an irregular manner, so that as from tomorrow it will start operations on the streets.

A reduction of 0.50 cents in the price of the fare in the corridors, the authorization of exclusive lanes for the Metro Bus in both fast routes, the purchase of 70 new wagons for Line 1 of the Metro and of 273 buses for the Metro Bus, are part of the measures announced today by President Juan Carlos Varela in the plan to improve mobility in the city.

The President said that he asked the company Mi Bus to make the adjustments to reduce from 1.25 balboas to 0.75 cents the passage of the Metro Bus in the route of the corridors, which will represent a saving of 40% for the user.

In addition, the President gave the order to proceed to the consortium Asociación Accidental C & C Corredores Norte y Sur for the habilitation, adaptation and signaling for the reclassification of a three way and reversion of the lanes for the corridors, a project that has a cost of 27 million of balboas and the application will begin in April 2018.

"I reiterate the commitment of our Administration to continue investing the resources of the State with transparency to build and expand roads, modernize public passenger transport and speed up vehicular traffic, in order to improve the quality of life of all Panamanians”, assured the Head of State.

During the act, President Varela also indicated that will be purchased 70 new wagons for the Metro at a cost of 150 million balboas, which will double the capacity from next January.

He affirmed that 273 buses were purchased to strengthen the frequency of the Metro Bus, with an investment exceeding 36.5 million. He said that as from November will start to circulate 203 large buses, and in March 2018 the 70 medium.

He explained that another of the measures to be implemented is the unification of the fare of the Metro and Metro Bus fares, for which he issued instructions to companies related to the subject, in order to give the population a transportation system massive and efficient.

President Varela warned that people who insist on providing the transport service in an irregular manner, was already published in Official Gazette Executive Decree 273 that increases the fine of one thousand balboas to 5 thousand balboas and the cancellation of the  license of the driver.

He said that since tomorrow Tuesday, the authorities will start operations to enforce these rules and take out of circulation the buses that are offering the service outside the law.

Other infrastructure projects that make up the Mobility Plan are:

1. Completion of Line 2 of the Metro and the extension towards Tocumen, International Airport and the Technological University of Panama. It will start operations in January 2019.

2. Extension of Line 1 of the Metro to Villa Zaíta, which will start operating in 2019.

3. Extension of 8 lanes to and from Arraiján. The work should be completed by the end of 2019.

4. Completion of construction of the Corridor Panama North, Pedregal, Gonzalillo (corridor of the Poor), which will be handed over in March 2019.

5. The start of the construction of the Fourth Bridge over the Panama Canal, which will give viability to line 3 of the Metro and would be culminating in 2022.

https://www.presidencia.gob.pa/en/News/President-Varela-announces-reduction-of-the-fare-in-both-corridors-and-other-measures-of-the-Urban-Mobility-Plan

[TwoSailors]

A lot of projects! Postive news.

[JudyS]

Urban mobility.  What a joke!  Why don't they start with Boquete, which is becoming harder to get around in every day.  And what's with those Greyhound size buses going around town on our narrow, congested, broken up roads?  These aren't tourist buses.  They are commuter buses between Boquete and David.  Whose bright idea was that?

[JohnF13]

15 hours ago, JudyS said:

Urban mobility.  What a joke!  Why don't they start with Boquete, which is becoming harder to get around in every day.  And what's with those Greyhound size buses going around town on our narrow, congested, broken up roads?  These aren't tourist buses.  They are commuter buses between Boquete and David.  Whose bright idea was that?

I think, Judy, as the import of old school buses is now banned that something bigger than a Coaster was needed for the Boquete/David run.  However, your streets comment is spot on!

[TwoSailors]

29 minutes ago, Keith Woolford said:

N

No, it's not.

The article is about urban mobility in the metropolitan area, not road conditions or buses in Boquete. Gripes and snipes on those subjects belong elsewhere.

Right on!

[Bonnie]

While I agree that the post may have been off topic, I think we need to understand that everyone’s patience is tried and tempers shortened by the road situation. Only this evening there was a massive traffic jam in front of The Fish House and Sugar ‘n’ Spice when a long hauler truck was unable to make the detour turn and blocked the road at the same time that vehicles that were detoured themselves were pouring in from the two side streets. There was no one there directing traffic or sorting out the situation even though a number a police vehicles were in the vicinity. It was a mess—like the daily messes we have been experiencing for two years. It’s been particularly hard on those of us living north of town because there’s no way we can avoid it. Getting from my house into town or through town has become a daily, never-ending nightmare, and most people are saying the same thing. I’m as patient as the next person, but this has just gone on too long. I’ve tried to be a cheerleader, but I’m just worn out like everybody else. I’ve never seen anything so poorly managed.