B A T A N G A S
CITY (PIA) – The Department of Transportation
(DOTr) broke ground on
Monday, September 11,
for the 76.7-kilometer bike
lane project that would
traverse cities and towns
across Calabarzon to
ease traffic and provide
protected bike lanes for
active commuters.
The P151.7-million project, which is under
DOTr’s active transport
initiative, involves Class 2
and 3 bike lanes covering
selected roads in the cities of Lipa, Batangas and
Antipolo, and the towns of
Cainta and San Mateo.
Class 3 lanes,
marked by broken lines on
the road, are considered
least protected as these
are shared with motor vehicles. Class 2 lanes are
separated by pavement
marking and/or physical
separators but are still on
the same carriage way.
DOTr Secretary
Jaime Bautista noted that
the project is in line with
the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-
2028 and is a collaboration with the Department
of Public Works and Highways and local governments.
“We are proud of
this project as it contributes to the development
of our road sectors. We already have approximately
500 km of bike lanes in
Manila, Cebu, and Davao.
This year, we aim to establish 400 km of bike lanes in
different parts of the country. We have started with
the bike lanes in Intramuros and Kalibo, and now
we have a 76 km-bike lane
for Region IVA,” Secretary
Bautista said.
He also emphasized the importance of
promoting a traffic-free
environment by encouraging the public to use bikes
whenever possible, considering the health benefits it provides.
The DOTr said
the safety of bikers remains a top priority for
the project to ensure their
protection from larger vehicles on the road.
San Mateo Mayor Bartolomie Rivera Jr.
expressed his gratitude for
the project, which not only
supports their local efforts
but also promotes bike
tourism in their municipality.
Lipa City Mayor
Eric Africa said the construction of the bike lane in
the city will start from Balete Exit, passing through
Levitown, J.P. Laurel Highway, and leading to Poblacion. Another bike lane will
be constructed towards
Tambo.
“The one and a
half meter-bike lane will be
equipped with reflectorizers and pink thermoplastic
for easy identification of
bikers. We need to share
our roads with bikers, as
it is their preferred mode
of transportation. Despite
motorists dominating the
roads, we still need to allocate an area for bikers,”
Mayor Africa said.
He added the
Sangguniang Panglungsod has passed an ordinance on clamping and
towing, which is now disseminated to the public
until November in time
for the expected completion of the transport infrastructure by first quarter of
2024.
Mayor Africa underscored the significant
benefits of biking including its positive impact on
health, role in reducing environmental pollution, and
its ability to alleviate traffic
congestion, especially in
Lipa City.
Carlo Gonzaga,
a bike enthusiast, said the
project is a welcome news
for all bikers as they will
finally have their own dedicated lane.
“It’s reassuring to
know that we will have our
own bikers’ lane and we
won’t have to worry about
sharing the road with larger vehicles,” he said.
He cited his personal experience that
some motorists disregard
bikers’ safety.
“It’s about time
the government recognized bicycles as a legitimate mode of transportation and provided the
necessary infrastructure
and support.”
Gonzaga added, “Using bikes not only
improves our health but
also contributes to solving
pollution problems. The
private sector should also
support this initiative. The
Department of Tourism
should consider bike tourism and offer discounts
on entrance fees and affordable meals for bikers,
which will encourage more
people to explore tourist
attractions in the country.”
