Pasig Puts Sidewalk Accessibility in Focus for City Improvement

(SPOT.ph) Pasig City continues to reclaim the streets for pedestrians—this time by improving sidewalks starting with Market Avenue.

Market Avenue's new sidewalks are being constructed flatter and lower, which allows for a better flow of movement for people who walk or are in wheelchairs. The side of the curb will also have bollards lined up to act as a physical safety barrier and to block motor vehicles from passing through this dedicated pedestrian lane.

Below is a sample section of how the newly renovated sidewalks in Pasig City are supposed to look. It isn't the nicest picture of Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto, but you can see him checking out the sidewalk improvements.

The sidewalk also passes the wheelchair test (as seen in the picture), which is a method of evaluating the accessibility of pedestrian facilities for people with mobility impairments. It involves testing the surface of the sidewalk to ensure that it is level, smooth, and free of obstructions. This includes checking for curb cuts at intersections, proper slopes, and adequate space for turning.

According to Sotto, it will cost the Pasig City government an estimated P500,000 to construct every 100 meters of this new sidewalk on both sides of the street, including the bollards. Part of the cost will also go to drainage line improvements to prevent flooding that could otherwise render the sidewalks unusable.

However exciting, Sotto said there are big challenges that come with undoing poor urban planning.

“May mga challenge areas tayo dahil may mga poste sa ibang sidewalk na hindi basta-basta puwedeng tanggalin. Meron lugar na masyadong manipis ang daanan,” Sotto wrote in a Facebook post. “Pero ito na ang direksyon natin, para sa isang pedestrian-friendly Pasig.”

Also read: LOOK: Pasig Leads the Way for More Protected Bike Lanes

A pedestrian-friendly Pasig City

As one of the biggest and busiest cities in the Metro, the local government has been pushing for more pedestrian-friendly spaces for the public. Several initiatives have been rolled out in the past several years.

On the weekends, the whole stretch of selected Pasig roads are closed for the People’s Street project to make way for people in an otherwise car-centric Philippines. There are also protected bike lanes in Kapitolyo and Ortigas to encourage alternative modes of transport.

Pasig City's goals are in line with the Department of Transportation's (DOTr) push to improve sidewalks and bicycle lanes across the whole of the National Capital Region following the approval of its Active Transport Infrastructure Improvement Program in January 2023.

DOTr said the “widening of pedestrian walkways and protected bi-directional bike lanes” will be a part of the Philippine Development Plan from 2023 until 2028. Pedestrians and cyclists will be the “highest priority in the hierarchy of road users.”

Meanwhile, the City of Manila is mulling over going a different direction: converting sidewalks into parking spaces to accommodate the increasing number of motor vehicles. This idea has been floated by the LGU according to Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau adviser Dennis Viaje, as quoted in a PNA report. Pick a struggle, guys.

Also read: 10 Places on EDSA That Need "Build, Build, Build" for Pedestrians