Citom to mark sidewalks; No parking allowed here

Sidewalks in Cebu city should start six meters from the road.

The traffic office will start marking the correct sidewalk easement next week, which would also warn car users where they can’t park.

“Sometimes that’s the cause of arguments,  especially in the implementation of towing and then no-parking-on-the-sidewalk policey,” said  Rafael Yap, head of the City Integrated Traffic Operations Management (Citom).

Last week, the Beautiful Cebu Movement complained that a car was illegally parked on the newly paved brick sidewalk in part of Osmeña Boulevard.

Joje Decal, the movement president, said  some property owners  insist on using the sidewalk  for parking, thinking this is an extension of their establishment.

Yap said Citom would  start with Osmeña Bouleavard to clearly define the sidewalks.

Markings will be painted boldly enought tobe  seen at a distance, he said.

Yap said  the sidewalk covers a six meter area from the edge of the road.

The city zoning ordinance which was last amended in 1996 requires structures to have their own parking area.

For  structures built before 1996, owners still have to identify a  parking area even outside their business area to discourage use of the sidewalk.

“If there are questions on the reference point, the property owner should come to City Hall so we can have it resolved,” said Yap.

City Mayor Michael Rama also intructed Citom to inventory all skywalks in the city to determine whether they are used by pedestrians in crossing busy streets

“Check where are the locations of skywalks that are not being used by pedestrians and  come up with a recommendation,”  Rama said.

The mayor earlier said he wants to demolish “useless” skywalks but Rep.Tomas Osmeña of Cebu City’s south district  said they only have to be redesigned to correct the steep slope of their stairs that discourage elderly and children from using them.