MANILA, Philippines -- What used to be plain, nondescript sidewalks in some major roads in Quezon City are now colorful pavements on which pedestrians can walk with ease and motorists park conveniently.

Instead of dull gray, red and yellow bricks have been laid along West, Timog, Visayas, and Tomas Morato Avenues which lend a bright glow to the establishments there.

“I could even say that it will become a tourist destination. The businesses now have a better looking facade,” said Quezon City engineer Joselito Cabungcal.

Mayor Feliciano Belmonte started the sidewalk renovation program last year to boost the city’s image. He zeroed in on the the four major avenues since these are particularly known as hangout places for the various shops, restaurants, bars and cafes.

‘NEAT LOOK’

The inspiration for the red and yellow brick-lined sidewalks came from visits to China and Singapore in 2005, the city engineer said in a recent interview.

He noted that pavements in Singapore had a “neat” look to it unlike the common gray sidewalks in Metro Manila.

“It’s like a tourist attraction. The pavements there are pretty to look at and there is a semblance of order,” Cabungcal said.

The city government’s special design group, along with the engineering department, then thought of combining red and yellow for their rehabilitation project.

But jumpstarting the P560 million project did not come without resistance from the establishment owners, who claimed the diggings would slow down businesses.

“They said the overhaul would disrupt their businesses. But I think they soon realized that the renovation would actually up the value of their stores,” Cabungcal said.

The city government’s design allocated around two meters of pavement for pedestrians and five meters as parking space for motorists.

The renovation, including the installation of streetlights, involved 1.2 kilometers of pavement for Tomas Morato Avenue, 1.6 km for Timog Avenue, 1.4 km along West Avenue and 1.2 km along Visayas Avenue.

Cabungcal said they also installed bollards or metal posts to differentiate the sidewalk for pedestrians and parking area for motorists.

‘HYDRAPAVE’ BRICKS

The city government used red colored “hydrapave” bricks up to two inches thick to line the sidewalks, which Cabungcal said was locally manufactured and could withstand most light vehicles.

“Now the pavements are smooth and easier to walk on, and there are few sidewalk vendors left too in those areas,” he added.

He noted that the contrast of red and yellow was pleasant to look at especially for motorists parking their vehicles in front of the establishments.

“It’s not just for aesthetics. The city government sees it as an investment, so that the businesses would also look for ways on how to improve the look of their areas,” Cabungcal explained.

He cited the case of Visayas Avenue, which used to be an enclave for several junk shops. “Now it has the potential of being a commercial area. There are more restaurants and night spots there because the pavement helps in attracting customers.”

Cabungcal said they plan to turn over the care and maintenance of the sidewalks to the business owners.

“They will be in charge of making sure that the sidewalk won’t be vandalized or the streetlamps won’t be stolen. They are the number one beneficiaries of the project, and the city government only comes second,” he noted.

A similar renovation program is planned on Mother Ignacia Street, Panay Avenue, Commonwealth Avenue, East Avenue and areas near the Quezon City Hall.

“We hope that people will appreciate the changes we have done to Quezon City’s sidewalks, that it’s now neater and much nicer to look at,” Cabungcal added.