BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved on first reading regulating the construction of traffic calming device along city and barangay roads in the city for purposes of public safety and providing fines for violation of the measure.
The ordinance authored by Councilor Joel Alangsab stated speed bumps and humps of any nature and material constructed or laid across city and barangay roads within the city are prohibited, however, speed bumps and humps may be laid across city and barangay roads provided that these are at or within the vicinity of schools, health facilities, churches or places of worship, parks and playgrounds, trading centers, barangay halls, parking lots, at pedestrian crossings, garages and near stop sign locations.
Further, existing bumps and humps on city and barangay roads not specifically situated in areas provided under the measure are deemed hazards rather than precautionary means to avoid accidents that must be immediately removed for faster, smoother, safer and convenient travel.
The ordinance tasked the City Engineering Office, in coordination with barangay officials in whose juridical areas such road humps may have been constructed or laid across shall be responsible for removing the same pursuant to the pertinent provisions of the proposed ordinance.
Under the proposal, the construction of speed bumps and humps of concrete and asphalt shall abide by the prescribed specifications wherein speed bumps shall have a height of 6 inches and width of 12 inches and speed humps should have a height of 4 inches and width of 144 inches for maximum safety and convenience to motorists and pedestrians alike.
The ordinance stipulated that the whole stretch of each road bump and humps shall be coated with a reflectorized thermoplastic paint of yellow and white painted alternately. On the other hand, the local legislative measure stated that the interval of at least 40 meters between 2 road bumps and humps shall be strictly observed and that construction of speed bumps or humps on city and barangay roads in specified areas allowed under the measure shall be under the direct supervision of the City Engineering Office and assisted by concerned barangay officials.
According to the proposal, construction cost for labor and materials in setting up the speed bumps or humps as allowed under the measure shall be shouldered by the local government and the barangay for barangay roads and speed bumps and humps or similar obstacles may be constructed in private subdivisions and villages provided that the plans and specifications are absolutely followed.
Any person, whether natural or juridical, found violating the pertinent provisions of the measure shall be fined P1,000 or imprisonment of at least 30 days or both at the discretion of the court after the conduct of full-blown hearings to ascertain the violation.
The City Engineer, together with the concerned barangay officials, will be tasked to strictly enforce the pertinent provisions of the ordinance once it will be enacted by the local legislative body upon the conduct of due hearings to ascertain the opinion of the public.
The ordinance was referred to the appropriate committee of the local legislative body for appropriate study and recommendation whether or not it will be passed on second and third readings.
By Dexter A. See
