THERE is a need for order in the parking situation in the municipality of La Trinidad.
Up for its third and final reading, an ordinance authored by Councilor Roderick Awingan designating certain portions along shoulders of municipal, provincial, and national roads as parking areas in the municipality.
"Constituents should be made aware where to legally park, otherwise if they pursue to park anywhere else, they will be apprehended with the existing code of ordinance on obstruction," said Awingan.
Under the proposed ordinance, all barangay councils can also enact their respective parking regulation ordinances applicable within the municipality.
"The manner of implementation will be easier considering the limited manpower of the traffic management unit, we are also encouraging barangays to make ordinances in their respective jurisdiction," added Awingan.
The municipality holds a growth rate of 5.5 percent, the fastest among all local government according to the Philippine Statistics Authority in the entire region and had been transformed into a growing urbanized community coupled with the pressing problems of traffic management.
With the increase in population, comes the influx of motor vehicles clogging thoroughfares and overcrowding of roads and highways causing congestion and other forms of traffic issues and concerns.
Under the proposed ordinance, single parallel parking will be allowed at the Baguio-Bontoc National Highway for private vehicles only from 8:00 PM to 6:00 a.m. on any day.
The parking area will be allowed only on the road shoulder of the south bound lane 15 meters away from the welcome arc up to Trining's Building. The length is approximately 50 meters that could accommodate more or less 30 vehicles.
Parking for north bound lane meanwhile starts from Botiwtiw Junction up to the Mamaga hanging bridge with an approximate length of one kilometer while all narrow portions should be avoided particularly the 20 meter portion in front and after the StoBoSa view area.
Parking will also be allowed along the Baguio-Bontoc Road from Cruz to Shilan as the Traffic Management Board may identify including Poblacion-Puguis-Pico road, Shilan-Lamut-Beckel road, Tawang-Lubas-Ambiong road, Puguis- Lamtang road, Alapang-Alno road, Bahong-Sadag road, BSU last gate-Strawberry farm-Puguis road, and other municipal, provincial and national road.
The municipal Traffic Management Board will be authorized to designate parking areas either as regular or overnight parking areas.
Any person who violates provisions of the ordinance will be charged of P500 for first offense, P1,500 second offense and 2,500 for the third and succeeding offenses.