City’s pedestrianization project to start this year

CEBU, Philippines — The partial implementation of the city’s “Heritage Loop” pedestrianization is expected to start within this year.

Cebu City Planning Officer, Architect Joseph Michael “Yumi” Espina, disclosed that it was supposed to start last month, but had to be moved due to the upcoming Palarong Pambansa.

“Paningkamoton gyud nato nga ma-implement gyud siya within the year,” Espina said through the City’s News and Information team.

The Heritage loop covers the city’s historic district including Colon Street; the linear park leading to the proposed Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway Guadalupe ramp in Barangay Ermita; the Carbon Public Market; and the City Hall Square.

Aside from that, the Heritage Loop will also include the “Link to Port” feature of Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) project, which connects Plaza Independencia all the way to P. Del Rosario street.

The project is not only aimed at revitalizing local businesses in the downtown area, but also to open heritage areas to more pedestrians than vehicles.

Espina said the City plans to start its pedestrianization efforts at Colon Street through a “scheduled road closure.”

Further, a series of activities at Colon Street will kick off its gradual pedestrianization.

Apart from revitalizing the oldest street in the country for heritage and cultural purposes, the project is also aimed to help in “cooling” off dense urban areas in the city by planting trees on sidewalks.

Citing a World Bank report, Asian cities like Cebu City are expected to suffer from “urban heat island effect” in a few years due to the lack of trees and rapid development.

Urban heat island effect accordingly occurs when a highly populated and dense area experiences significant warm temperatures compared to surrounding rural areas.

Espina said that even at present, some parts of the City have experienced the effect especially during the “mild El Niño” last summer.

“Even last summer, you already experienced it. (The heat index in Cebu reached) 41 degrees, five to six degrees higher before. But now we are suffering,” Espina said.

The pedestrianization also encourages the public to walk to their destinations rather than using vehicles. Reducing vehicle movement within the city’s downtown area could help minimize pollution.

“We can cool down the city, have more shade against rain and sun, and then walking becomes healthier,” he added.

Architect Nichol Maquiling, who works for CPDO’s Planning and Design Division, said the pedestrianization of Colon Street will be done in three phases.

In the first phase, the city will hold a dry run at Colon Street wherein movable components, such as plant boxes and bollards, will be placed to divide the road between vehicle and pedestrian traffic.

The second phase will be the installation of semi-permanent components, extended sidewalks, and put up painted bike lanes.

The third phase will involve full pedestrianization measures, such as rerouting vehicles away from Colon Street and converting the road into a walkway. –/ATO (FREEMAN)