MITIGATING TRAFFIC CONGESTION: STRENGTHENING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS IN IMUS, AGUINALDO HIGHWAY, CAVITE

Aims: The primary aim of this study is to assess the impact of public transportation system enhancements on reducing traffic congestion along Aguinaldo Highway in Cavite. The study aims to evaluate the level of improvement in public transportation services and determine if these improvements have contributed to alleviating traffic congestion. Study design: This study utilized a quantitative, descriptive-correlational research design to explore the relationship between public transportation system enhancements and the reduction of traffic congestion. The design was chosen to allow for the examination of perceptions, as well as the statistical analysis of correlations between the improvements in public transportation and traffic congestion. Methodology: A random sampling technique was used to select 117 participants from the commuter population. Data were gathered through a structured survey questionnaire, which collected information on respondents’ demographic profiles, their use of public transportation, and their perceptions of the public transportation system's enhancements and their impact on traffic congestion. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data, while Pearson’s correlation analysis was employed to examine the relationship between public transportation improvements and traffic congestion. Results: The study found that respondents generally perceived moderate improvements in the public transportation system, with the highest mean score for "Service Efficiency and Accessibility" (3.41). The overall mean score for the perceived impact on reducing traffic congestion was 2.96, categorized as "Agree." Pearson’s correlation analysis showed a moderate positive correlation (r = 0.458) between public transportation system enhancements and traffic congestion reduction, with a highly significant p-value of 0.000. This indicates that public transportation improvements are significantly associated with reduced traffic congestion. Conclusion: The study concludes that public transportation system enhancements along Aguinaldo Highway have contributed to a moderate reduction in traffic congestion, as indicated by the perceptions of the respondents. The moderate correlation between public transportation improvements and reduced congestion supports the effectiveness of these enhancements. However, the study also suggests that further improvements are necessary, particularly in infrastructure development, sustainable transportation options, and regulatory enforcement, to achieve more significant reductions in congestion.