ANGELES CITY – Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan vowed Tuesday to rid the city’s major roads of illegally parked vehicles and other obstructions like signboards.
This came after the successful clearing operation along sidewalks which resulted in an organized and widened paths for pedestrians.
“I brought back the sidewalk to the people, now it’s time to bring back the road to the motorists,” Pamintuan said.
The mayor said he observed that road shoulders are occupied with vehicles especially those in front of business establishments and private offices.
Illegal parking has been the bane of motorists, pedestrians, establishment owners, and traffic law enforcers, especially in busy corners of the city whose spaces have been getting smaller because of increasing number of vehicles plying the city’s streets, according to Pamintuan.
A study made by the traffic management unit revealed that parked vehicles along roads or a narrow street is one of the major reasons for traffic congestion in the city. With this finding, Pamintuan called on traffic enforcers as well as village officials to make sure illegal parking will not be allowed in the city.
A growing number of passenger and private vehicles in the city have already crowded the main streets, aside from the illegal structures sprouting along the major thoroughfares. “This should not be tolerated and my administration will continue to look for ways to ease traffic congestion,” Pamintuan said.
Among the areas that need to be cleared include the stretch of Henson Street, Rizal Street, Sto. Rosario Street, Araw Malansik Street, and Burgos Street.
In line with this order, Pamintuan said he would like to see a “vehicle-crossing” along Burgos Street even if it is “Apu Day” (a Divisoria-like tiange being held during Fridays).
“I am not against flea or bargain stores or those so-called “ukay-ukay,” but they should make way for vehicles to pass by,” the mayor added.
Concerned residents fear that emergency vehicles like ambulance, police, or fire truck would not be able to penetrate in the said area if in case their services are needed.
Heavy traffic is one of the concerns of the city which the new City Government is trying to eliminate.
“We are serious in organizing the city in all legal ways to improve delivery of services to all Angeleños,” Pamintuan stressed.(Reynaldo G. Navales)