City eyes 7 possible sites for parking buildings

The local government recently identified some seven areas in the city that are suitable for the put up of multi-level pay parking buildings that could help in providing parking spaces for the increasing volume of motor vehicles plying the city roads and address the worsening traffic congestions in the central business district area.

City Planning and Development Officer Arch. Donna R. Tabangin stated that the proposed put up of the proposed multi-level parking buildings will either be funded by the available funds of the local government or through the private public partnership scheme for the realization of the said endeavor.

She disclosed that one of the proposed sites where a multi-level pay parking building could be erected is the city-owned property along Kayang St. that will cater to the parking requirements of officials, employees and clients of the city hall offices.

Previously, the local government intended to put up a multi-story building in the said property that will include the proposed expansion of other offices such as the offices of local legislators with a provision of parking spaces for government vehicles.

The city planning officer claimed that another proposed site for the multi-level parking building will be within the market area where the same will cater to the parking needs of market goers and the businesses within the city public market area.

At present, the local government is pursuing the upgrading of the Baguio tennis court where one of its features is the availability of more or less 80 parking slots underground to provide available parking spaces for people visiting the said area.

Further, the local government also intends to put up another multi-level parking structure within the proposed site of the city’s creative center at the former area occupied by the old city auditorium to provide residents and visitors alike with available parking spaces when visiting the Burnham Park, the city’s premier tourist destination and other desired destinations in the central business district area.

According to her, the city wants to establish a multi-level parking structure along Gov. Pack Road in partnership with interested investors to provide added parking spaces that will compliment existing parking structures in the area to help reduce the monstrous traffic congestions in the area, especially during weekends when there is an influx of motorists going to the central business district area.

The city is also offering the available portion at the back of the Baguio Convention Center to investors that are interested to partner with the local government for the put up of another multi-level parking building that will cater to the parking requirements of visitors.

Moreover, the city is eying another multi-level parking building at the slaughterhouse area that will put in place the parking spaces for motor vehicles that look for available slots for people to be able to transact business in public and private establishments in the said place.

Earlier, the local government had been in receipt of numerous proposals for the put up of multi-level parking buildings in various parts of the city over the past several years but the same is still under evaluation and assessment by concerned offices. – Dexter A. See