BAGUIO CITY – The city government is considering the imposition of regulatory fees for parking along choice streets within the central business district.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong endorsed to the city council the passage of an ordinance that would allow the collection of such fees along identified stretches from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily with the proposed fees of P35 for the first two hours and additional P10 for the succeeding hour for regular vehicles and P20 for the first two hours and P5 for the next hour for motorcycles.
He said the decision was reached after consulting with the members of the Land Traffic and Transportation Management Committee (LTTMC) and the Baguio City Police on the scheme’s potential impact on the city’s traffic condition.
At present, the city allows parking free of charge from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. along Session Road, Calderon St. and a portion of Abanao St., according to Baguio City Traffic Management Bureau head Police Chief Inspector Oliver Panabang.
As proposed, 13 stretches of nine roads will be covered as per the list provided by City Treasurer Alex Cabarrubias who was tasked by the mayor to study the regulatory scheme in coordination with the City Engineering Office Traffic and Transport Management Division.
The proposed coverage are Lower Session Road (whole stretch and both lanes), Upper Session Road (Leonard Wood junction to Casa Vallejo and Kalaw Road junction to PFVR gym entry); Kalaw St. (whole stretch fronting Court of Appeals); Assumption Road (corner Seesion Road to corner Gen. Luna left lane); Harrison Road (whole stretch to Jose Abad Santos Drive); Calderon St. (whole stretch of Skyworld), Claudio St. (Generika to Phoenix Café); Gov. Pack Road (in front of Baguio Museum, in front of Dept. of Tourism and Lions Club waiting shed to entrance); Kayang-Hilltop (whole stretch of right lane from Magsaysay Ave. and from Kiltipan Merhandise to Dian Juat Furniture) and other roads that may be identified later by the LTTMC upon approval of the city council.
Cabarrubias said the scheme would contribute a monthly income of P547,000 to P947,000 to the city coffers “assuming that all slots will be filled for an eight-hour operation.”
Details of the enforcement will be covered by Implementing Rules and Regulations that will be drawn by concerned agencies and offices upon the approval of the measure.
City Administrator Bonifacio Dela Pena said the scheme will be implemented while the city is working out the implementation of its parking building projects.
Magalong intends to build as many parking buildings as possible to ease the city’s traffic problem.
The areas eyed for car parks are the Jadewell site at the back of the Ganza Restaurant to accommodate 550 cars, the private lot along Abanao St., the owner of which already agreed to construct a modular parking structure, the site of the City Hall Annex at the Baguio Fire Station where the city plans to put up an eight-story building with parking facility with 450-500 slots;
The old library site which upon development will devote two basement car parks; the Athletic Bowl where a modular parking facility will also be built; the BIBAK lot along Harrison Road; the Wright Park (modular); at the back of the Baguio Convention Center where a multi-level parking building will rise with 800 slots; the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) property near Victory Liner; and at the Bayan Park at Bayan Park Village. **Aileen P. Refuerzo
