BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved an ordinance for the temporary closure and use of various roads in the city for the different events lined up for the 23rd edition of the Panagbenga, the Baguio Flower Festival.
The ordinance authored by members of the local legislative body granted the request of the 2018 Panagbenga Executive Committee and the Liga ng mga Barangay for the temporary closure of several roads in the city’s central business district on various dates for scheduled flower festival events.
From February 1 to March 4, 2018, Burnham Lake Drive from Ganza restaurant to Solibao restaurant and the entire Juna Luna Drive, including Lake Drive corner of Juan Luna Drive towards the PNP tourist precinct will be closed for the Baguio Blooms Expositions.
On February 24 and 25 from 1 am to 3 pm, South Drive-Military Cut off to Lower Session road, Magsaysay Avenue and Harrison road will be closed to vehicular traffic to pave the way for the grand streetdancing parade and the grand float parade, respectively.
From February 25 to March 4, Session road from SM rotunda up to Mabini St. will be closed to vehicular traffic for the Session Road in Bloom managed by the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Baguio (HRAB).
On the other hand, Session road from junction of Mabini Street up to Lower Session road, including portions of Assumption Road, Calderon St. and Perfecto St. in front of the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) will be closed to vehicular traffic for the Liga ng mga Barangay fund-raising activities.
Further, portions of Gov. Pack Road will be closed for the main stage, emergency exit and entrance and for garbage collection trucks, while portions of Assumption St. Calderon St., Perfecto St. and Fr. Carlo Loop will be also closed for emergency and rescue groups and for exit and entrance of delivery vans of pavilion owners and for garbage collection trucks.
The ordinance stated that Upper and Lower Mabini St. will be open for vehicular traffic round the clock to lessen the impact of the closure of the roads to the city’s traffic condition.
The ordinance added that the traffic guidelines set by the concerned government agencies shall be strictly observed, particularly the affected roads and streets of Session road, and that the use of the above roads by barangays, individuals or groups of individuals for their own trade fair or other activities for the duration of the 2018 Panagbenga shall be prohibited.
Among the conditions imposed by the ordinance for the closure of roads include the coordination between the Panagbenga Executive Committee and the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) to address concerns on the installation of appropriate signage and directional signs, conduct routine works and assign personnel to oversee traffic in the area, including the posting of standard warning signs; to place information or directory signs in all alternative roads two weeks before the start of all 2018 Panagbenga events indicating dates and time, and constant consultations with the barangay officials and the traffic police as need for proper traffic monitoring.
By Dexter A. See
