BACOLOD City Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr. urged the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) and City Legal Office (CLO) to strictly enforce the bike lane ordinance.
Gamboa said BTAO and CLO should implement the designated bike lane Ordinance No. 08-15-737 or an ordinance regulating the placement of unauthorized traffic related signages, barriers, or obstacles on public streets and sidewalks of Bacolod that would deny or limit access or passage of pedestrians and motor vehicles.
“It has been observed that many streets in Bacolod City are not being utilized or used for the purpose of which they were intended by reason of unauthorized traffic-related signages and or physical barriers or obstacles,” he said.
He added that those barriers, such as stones, benches, piles of wood, tire and similar material are placed for the purpose of denying or limiting access or passage of pedestrians and vehicles.
Gamboa noted that Republic Act 7160 Section 458(5), states that the City Council can regulate traffic on all streets and bridges prohibit encroachment or obstructs thereon and, when necessary in the interest of public welfare, authorized the removal of encroachment and illegal construction in public places.
Gamboa said these unauthorized traffic-related signages and illegal barriers or obstacles are placed without an ordinance or resolution and are mostly done by private individuals for private purpose.
He said Section 6 of City Ordinance 08-15-737 provides that the enforcement of the ordinance is by the Traffic Management Unit or Bacolod Traffic Authority and the City Legal Enforcement Unit.