Parking building eyed for 1-K vehicles at city orchidarium

By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY – The local government is studying the possibility of pursuing the proposed construction of a multi-level pay parking building within a portion of the orchidarium here at Burnham Park considering that it could accommodate more vehicles compared to the planned multi-level pay parking structure at the Ganza parking area.

The plan was presented by the Baguio City traffic management team as alternative to the proposed multi-level parking structure at Ganza parking area.

Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong tasked concerned offices of the local government to come out with a study on which of the two proposed sites of the planned multi-level parking structure will be feasible and advantageous to the city.

Earlier, a number of proponents submitted their proposals to construct the multi-level parking structures in the Ganza parking area which could accommodate more than 700 vehicles that will be equitably distributed in five to eight floors.

However, the proposed 3-storey multi-level pay parking structure within a portion of the orchidarium can accommodate over 1,000 vehicles at one time.

One of the 15-point collective agenda of the present administration is effective traffic management through the implementation of the strategic programs, projects and activities geared towards improving the current state of the worsening traffic congestion in the different parts of the city.

Among the strategic programs that have been identified by the local government to help solve the prevailing traffic congestion in most parts of the city include the put up of multi-level parking buildings in suitable areas in the city, the re-designing of the existing geometric designs of certain intersections in the city, the implementation of traffic experiments and the procurement and purchase of traffic lights that will be installed in identified choke points and the acquisition of the traffic simulation software that will help guide traffic experts in the formulation of new traffic schemes.

The local government is awaiting the comprehensive report of the team of traffic experts from the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) that came up to the city several months ago to study the traffic situation in the city to help policy makers and decision makers on what will be the interventions that will be put in place to ease the current traffic congestion in the different parts of the city, especially during weekends and peak tourism months.

The MMDA reportedly waived the P1.5 million cost of the study on the traffic situation in the city which will serve as its corporate social responsibility in the performance of its duties and responsibilities to help local governments address the traffic situation in their areas of jurisdiction.

One of the problems being encountered by the local government and traffic experts in addressing the prevailing traffic congestion around the city is the increasing volume of motor vehicles plying the city’s roads and streets daily.