Overcoming the shortage of parking lots: Need for a synchronous solution

Hard to find parking

On many streets in Bac Giang and Kinh Bac wards, finding a parking space during rush hour is very difficult. The main reason is the lack of public parking lots. Although many streets have been temporarily planned with part of the roadway and sidewalk for parking, it only meets a very small part of the actual demand.

Apartments and commercial offices in Vo Cuong ward lack parking lots.

In apartment buildings and new urban areas in the central ward, the lack of parking spaces is getting worse. Many buildings were built years ago without properly calculating the land fund for parking, leading to cars being parked on the sidewalks and roads. This not only causes loss of urban beauty but also poses a potential risk to traffic safety and hinders fire prevention and fighting work.

According to data from wards in Bac Giang city, there were previously 19 static parking lots, with a total area of about 52,000 m², concentrated in parks, squares, residential areas, and bus stations. Bac Giang ward alone has a number of car parking spots at: Ngo Gia Tu Park, residential area No. 1, 3/2 Square area, market area, and neighboring residential areas.

Mr. Trieu Tien Dat, Deputy Head of the Economic , Infrastructure and Urban Department of Bac Giang Ward, said: "The current demand for parking space of the people far exceeds the capacity of the existing infrastructure. The Department has coordinated with units and residential groups to temporarily plan and paint lines on some streets to allow parking on sidewalks and roads. However, the situation of parking in the wrong place still occurs." To ensure civilized urban infrastructure and effectively serve the people, Bac Giang Ward synchronously implements Zoning Plan No. 1; arranges land funds for parking lots in parks, large squares associated with community living spaces, trade - services... At the same time, it is recommended that functional agencies pay attention to arranging land funds in planning projects, land use plans, prioritizing the formation of concentrated parking lots, underground and multi-storey parking lots in urban centers.

Sharing the same view, Mr. Do Chung Son, Deputy Head of the Economic, Infrastructure and Urban Department of Kinh Bac Ward, commented: “Some new apartment buildings and residential areas have been put into use but the technical infrastructure is not yet synchronized, especially parking spaces, leading to rampant parking. In the short term, the ward will strengthen propaganda, remind people to park in the right places and coordinate with functional forces to handle violations. However, in the long term, it is necessary to have synchronous planning and investment in large-scale, modern parking lots to completely solve the problem.”

It is known that in Kinh Bac ward there are 7 parking locations (including static parking lots combined with green parks and parking spots) with an area of nearly 7.6 hectares, of which 2 locations in Ho Ngoc Lan quarter have been invested and put into use but on a small scale, with an area of more than 0.3 hectares. The remaining locations have not been invested in according to the plan. The ward has painted lines and placed signs allowing parking at some locations on inner-city routes. Currently, the number of roads and streets with locations allowed for parking has reached 60%. In 2025, the ward will allocate about 8 billion VND to paint, re-paint lines and install stop signs, car parking, and install traffic lights; at the same time, continue to plan interspersed areas, propose to build static parking lots combined with parks, green trees, etc. The locality recommends that the province issue a mechanism to encourage and support investment in parking infrastructure in the direction of socialization, ensuring harmonious benefits and feasibility.

Priority should be given to underground and high-rise parking lots.

According to the representative of the Department of Construction of Bac Ninh , not only Bac Giang or Kinh Bac lacks parking lots, but this is a common situation in inner-city wards of cities and towns in the past. The main reason is the high speed of urbanization, the rapid increase in personal vehicles but the planning and investment in parking lot infrastructure have not kept up.

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Son, Deputy Director of the Department of Construction, commented: “To fundamentally solve the problem, the Construction sector requires localities to count the number of parking lots and parking spots and report the current status of this problem to advise the Provincial People's Committee to synchronously deploy many solutions. In the short term, wards maintain and effectively manage temporary parking spots on some streets with conditions; strictly handle illegal parking behaviors, ensuring safety and urban beauty. In the long term, it is necessary to prioritize the development of underground parking lots and high-rise parking lots in densely populated areas, commercial centers, and apartment buildings; and socialize parking lot construction activities at suitable locations. At the same time, new urban area projects must strictly comply with regulations on parking areas according to construction standards, avoiding the current shortage situation from recurring.”

According to the zoning plans, the functional sector also arranges infrastructure and parking areas with an area of 2-4 ^m2 /person, with a service radius of about 500-1,000m. The Construction sector also proposed to increase the application of technology in the management and operation of smart parking lots, helping people easily find safe parking spots.

In central wards, many people expressed their desire to have more civilized and safe public parking lots. Ms. Nguyen Thi Ha, a merchant in Kinh Bac ward, shared: "Customers coming to my store often complain about not having a place to park their cars, many people are afraid to come back. If there are more parking spots and lots near residential areas, business activities will certainly be more favorable."

Solving the problem of lack of parking space is not only to meet the travel demand but also to achieve the goal of building Bac Ninh into a civilized and modern city. With a synchronous parking system, urban order will be ensured, traffic will be smooth, and people's lives will be more convenient and safer.

Article and photos: Duc Anh

Source: https://baobacninhtv.vn/khac-phuc-tinh-trang-thieu-bai-do-xe-can-giai-phap-dong-bo-postid426519.bbg