Parañaque fast-tracks bike, motorcycle lane project

TWO-WHEELERS ONLY The outermost lane of Dr. A. Santos Avenue will soon be for the exclusive use of bikers and motorcycle riders under a project of the Parañaque City government. —PHOTO FROM FACEBOOK PAGE OF COUNCILOR MARVIN SANTOS

MANILA, Philippines — Parañaque City has started to put up dedicated lanes for bicycles and motorcycles along the stretch of Dr. A. Santos Avenue, better known to residents as Sucat Road.

In a statement, Mayor Edwin Olivarez said the city government had fast-tracked the construction of the protected lanes as more people shifted to these modes of transportation during the coronavirus pandemic.

“Bike lanes should be put up immediately since public transportation consisting primarily of jeepneys and UV Express [have not been] allowed to ply Dr. Santos Avenue since March when the national government placed Metro Manila under lockdown,” he added.

The city engineering team began putting up permanent makings for the 1.5-meter-wide bike lanes on both sides of the busy road on Friday. These were located on the outermost lanes of the 12-kilometer-long Dr. Santos Avenue since the inner lane would be for private vehicles while the center lane was for the exclusive use of delivery trucks, vans and other vehicles.

The bike lane project would consist of two phases: the stretch from SM Sucat to the border of the South Luzon Expressway and the second one from SM Sucat to Naia Road.

Road sharingAccording to city information officer Mar Jimenez, the protected lanes would be shared by both bikers and motorcycle riders. Mobility advocates, however, said these should be for bikers only to remove the risk posed by speeding motorcycles.

Jimenez asked riders to abide by traffic rules, especially speed limits, and for private motorists not to use the designated lanes for bikes and motorcycles.

Violators will be sent notices and tickets through the city’s “no contact apprehension” system, which has been in place since 2018.