Sidewalks

One thing I like about our neighborhood is that it is never too hard to get to a neighborhood store, laundry shop, pharmacy, bakery, gas station, restaurant and myriads of other shops. Whether it is from BF Homes QC or any other village in this part of Barangay Holy Spirit, walking was bearably short enough on a pleasant day. The sidewalks were not perfect but wide enough except for problems such as varying elevations, obstructions and unpaved portions for some stretches and occasional repairs that seem to drag on for eternity.

Then came a city project to improve the sidewalks. According to the erected billboard for the project, it showed a repaved and wider sidewalk more pleasant for pedestrians. I would imagine a proejct similar to that done along Tomas Morato also within Quezon City.


As the project went underway, I noticed that part of this improvement entailed a little road widening that effectively reduced the width of the sidewalk. The reason for the widening is not quite apparent as the Holy Spirit Drive was already 4 lanes wide. Since the widening was barely 1 lane wide, I can only surmise that this would either be for on-street (parallel) parking or simply to widen the width of each lane. Either way, it is the vehicle owners who will benefit.

The problem now comes with the existing trees along the sidewalks. With the sidewalk width reduced, the trees now pose as obstructions, being situated smack in the center of the sidewalks. The roots of some even protrude out onto the road carriageway. And with some fences and establishments built right up to the sidewalks’ edge, how else could the pedestrians avoid these trees & other obstructions, but to walk on the road carriageway itself.


Whoever or whatever office did the planning and survey for this project should look further at improving the sidewalk layout and design for the benefit of those who prefer taking a short walk instead of a car just to go to the neighborhood store.