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BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA and IAN PAUL CORDERO
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Wednesday, October 25, 2017
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ILOILO City – Does the “demolition” of a portion of the bike lane on Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. Avenue (Diversion Road) intersecting the main entrance of Iloilo City Center have a permit? Councilor Joshua Alim wants to know.
Millions of pesos were spent for the bike lane, he stressed during yesterday’s regular session of the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
Informed of the councilor’s concern, Iloilo City Center quickly issued a clarification on Facebook. According to Halley Alcarde, assistant vice president / head of sales and marketing of Iloilo City Center – Gasiano Capital Group, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 6 gave them permission.
What exactly is being done at the area?
The bike lane intersecting the main entrance to Iloilo City Center is being removed but Alcarde refused to call it a demolition of the lane but rather an “improvement.”
Traffic lights would be installed and a jeepney bay would be constructed, according to Alcarde.
“We foresee (an) increase (in) passengers crossing the overpass and waiting for jeepneys under the bridge, thus Gaisano Capital feels the needs of taking into consideration the safety of our people. With that in mind, we feel the need to provide a jeepney bay,” Alcarde posted on Facebook.
The “traffic signalization” to be installed would cost P5 million while the “jeepney bay and improvement on the bike lane”, P3 million, Alcarde added.
Alcarde stressed these were all at no cost to the city government but “purely a donation of Gaisano Capital Group to the city and the lovely people of Iloilo.”
In a reply letter to the Gaisano Capital Group, owner of the Iloilo City Center, DPWH stated it was not objecting to the undertaking. However, the following conditions must be observed:
- The demolition and restoration works shall bear no cost to the government.
- Design and materials shall conform to existing standards and specification set by DPWH.
- The construction of the improvements must not heavily affect flow of the traffic and ensure the safety of pedestrians.
- Installation of standard road signs to complement the proposed improvement.
The reply letter was signed by Regional Director Wenceslao Leaño Jr.
“To our bike lane users, with all our hearts we humbly ask for your consideration as we undergo this major improvement along the area. Rest assured that we are doing our best to restore and improve our bike lane,” Alcarde stressed.
But Alim would have none of it.
“Ang pamangkot: kun magpatindog man ang iban da business establishment, are they free to cut the bike lane to have an access road? Kon pasugtan mo ang Gaisano, sin-o kapugong other companies to do the same?” asked Alim.
He said City Regulation Ordinance No. 2016-299 protects the bike lane, which was built to encourage more people to use bikes to help decongest the avenue.
“We spent millions of pesos for the bike lane only to be demolished to have an access road,” said Alim./PN
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