MANILA – More than 313 km. of bicycle lanes have been installed in Metro Manila, complete with concrete delineators, flexible rubber bollards, and other safety elements designed to encourage biking and keep cyclists safe on the road.
Department of Transportation (DOTr) Assistant Secretary Steve Pastor said during the inauguration of the third leg of the Metro Manila bike lane network on Tuesday that the project includes the installation of proper bike symbols and signage, white and green pavement markings using thermoplastic paint, solar-powered road studs, and bike racks.
“Makaka-asa po kayo na hindi po tayo nagtatapos dito. Magpapatuloy po ang maganda nating nasimulan (You can rest assured that we will not stop here. We will continue what we have started),” Pastor said.
He claims that 497 km of bike lanes have been installed in the country’s major cities, including Metro Cebu, Metro Davao, and the National Capital Region.
The initiative, which was supported by the “Bayanihan to Recover as One Act of 2020,” has its detractors, with some asking whether it should be funded and claiming that orange traffic cones should suffice for bikers.
“Kung tatanungin po ang ating mga siklista na siyang tunay na gumagamit at nakikinabang ng mga bike lanes na ito, ano po kaya ang kanilang masasabi (If we ask cyclists who are the real users and beneficiaries of these bike lanes, what would they say)?” Pastor said.
So far, PHP801.8 million have been spent on bike lanes in Metro Manila.
Recently, the DOTr launched a 129-km. long bike lane network in Metro Cebu, which cost approximately PHP150 million.
The DOTr’s 55-km. bike lane in Metro Davao costs slightly more than PHP145 million, including pavement markings, physical road separators, and signage.
