BIKER-FRIENDLY. Cyclists make use of the bike lane along the busy Epifanio de los Santos Avenue in Quezon City on April 25, 2023. The city is becoming cyclist-friendly with more than 90 km. of bike lanes and facilities. (PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler)
MANILA – The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is aiming to establish 470 kilometers of protected bike lanes nationwide this year.
During the groundbreaking ceremony of the expansion of active transport infrastructure in San Fernando, Pampanga on Tuesday, Transportation Assistant Secretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure James Andres Melad said the bike lanes would include pedestrian infrastructure to ensure the safety of cyclists and pedestrians.
“An additional 470 kilometers of protected bike lanes and pedestrian infrastructure will be built to stay true to our commitment of making active transport a viable transportation and mobility option,” Melad said.
“The establishment of the protected bike lanes will contribute to the change in perspective and hopefully result in a change in the way we view and use public roads,” he added.
The transport infrastructure in San Fernando, Pampanga covers 37.5 kilometers of protected bike lanes separated from the main road and separated bike lanes with bollards, which is seen to increase accessibility to key establishments and institutions.
At least 332,000 residents and active transport users are expected to benefit from the project.
The agency's active transport campaign seeks to establish 2,400 kilometers of bike lanes until 2028 to provide safe infrastructure for cyclists, commuters, and other road users.
The transport agency has lined up road projects for 2023, including the expansion of active transport infrastructure in nine regions, the Intramuros Active Transport Infrastructure Expansion, and the Quezon City Bike Bridge.
Meanwhile, the simple groundbreaking ceremony was held in front of the Heroes Hall along Lazatin Boulevard in San Fernando and was also attended by DOTr’s Road Sector Project Management Office manager II Rolando Lara, DPWH-Region 3 (Central Luzon) Assistant Director Melquiades Sto. Domingo and City Mayor Vilma Caluag.
Sto. Domingo said the project aims to encourage the use of non-motorized vehicles as a healthier and more environmentally friendly form of transportation by providing safe and convenient options, such as improved bicycle lanes.
"The City of San Fernando recognizes the increasing popularity of active transport among Filipinos as an alternative means of commuting. By investing in safe and inclusive infrastructure, the city aims to encourage more residents to choose active transportation options, reducing congestion and pollution while improving the overall well-being of the community," he said during the event.
Caluag said the project is a major development for the city in terms of mobility and safety, citing that this will also encourage the public to maximize the benefits of using a bicycle as one means of transportation.
The illuminated bike lanes that will be put up in various parts of the city are under three classes: Class 1 (separate from the road) to be built in some parts of the Manila North Road/MacArthur Highway; Class 2 (with physical separators and pavement markings) to be installed in some parts of the Manila North Road/MacArthur Highway, Lazatin Boulevard and Capitol Boulevard; and Class 3 (shared roadway) to be built in some parts of the Jose Abad Santos Avenue.
“The project will serve as a move towards providing safer spaces for cyclists,” the mayor said.
DPWH-3 Maintenance Division chief Rodolfo David, in his earlier meeting with Calauag, said the 37-kilometer illuminated bike lanes would comprise more than 4,000 solar studs.
The use of protected bike lanes was implemented at the height of the pandemic in 2021 when there was limited mobility due to the pandemic restrictions.
The bike lane network augmented public transportation and helped people safely get to work during the pandemic.
Based on a 2020 survey from Social Weather Stations and the Department of Health, 87 percent of Filipinos agree that roads in cities and municipalities will be better if public transportation, bikes, and pedestrians are prioritized over private vehicles. (PNA)
