Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez is eyeing the construction of a housing facility that will also have an area for the furniture shops located at Lopez Jaena Street in Bacolod City, to ease traffic.
Solutions to the traffic problems at the University of Saint La Salle (USLS) and St. Scholastica’s Academy (SSA) areas are also being discussed, he said at a press conference on Monday, March 20.
The mayor met with the furniture shop owners at Lopez Jaena Street on Friday, March 17, following complaints that they were obstructing part of the road, which is causing heavy traffic in the area with Department of Public Works and Highways’ repairs also underway on the opposite lane.
The shop owners informed the mayor that even if they remove their furniture from the road water meters that were not removed when the road was expanded would still obstruct traffic.
The mayor said he will see to the removal of the water meters after which the shop owners will have to remove their furniture from the road.
Benitez said he is validating information that the two-hectare property near the furniture shops is owned by the Department of Justice (DOJ), noting that real property taxes had not been paid since 2006.
If it is government property the question is who is renting it out, he said.
“I will coordinate with the Department of Justice to transfer the use of that property to the city government” for the Yuhum housing program, he said.
The city could build a housing facility further away from the road where the furniture makers could have shops at the ground floor, he said.
The furniture shop owners want to remain in the vicinity of Lopez Jaena because that is where customers’ go to buy their products, he said.
Meanwhile, USLS and SSA have been asked to coordinate with the city government every time they have an event so that traffic flow preparations can be made.
They will also take necessary measures to address traffic at the two schools during peak hours, he said, which could include one way systems.*