BAGUIO CITY – The city government here is fasttracking the construction of multi-level parking areas that will accommodate more motor vehicles and help address traffic woes in the city.
In an interview, City Information officer Dexter See said Mayor Mauricio Domogan has ordered the speeding up of the implementation of the plans and design for the multi-level parking project prepared by the City Buildings and Architecture office (CBAO) for the Ganza pay parking area to allow the sourcing of funds.
See said the mayor had clarified that the proposals for the putting up of a podium pay parking structure between the Ibaloi Park and the children’s playground remains a proposal pending deliberations before the local legislative body.
He said the Ganza area had been previously identified as a parking area and the mayor hopes to iron out issues against the multi-level parking structure intended to help address the growing needs for parking spaces in the city, especially during the peak tourism months.
The lack of parking spaces in the city has been identified as among the contributory factors to the growing traffic congestion at the central business district as roadsides are being utilized as parking area, instead of utilizing the whole of the city’s narrow roads for smooth flow of vehicles.
See said the Ganza multi-level parking structure design is simple and would be completed in time for the influx of visitors to the city by November up to the middle of next year.
The city government, he added is also mulling on constructing an eight-story multi-level parking structure in the vacant lot near the Baguio fire department and city hall building, where some of the spaces would serve as an extension of the city hall to decongest the existing city hall building.
While the city government is sourcing out the needed funds for the two multi-level parking structures, See said the city is also hoping for the establishment of other multi-level parking structures in feasible areas or places previously identified for parking.
He said existing private and public parking areas around the central business district area are not enough to cater to the parking requirements of the increasing number of vehicles in the city. (Liza Agoot/PNA)
