Motorcycle riders using Edsa bike lanes to be penalized
EXCLUSIVE LANE Cyclists pass through the bike lane along Edsa. Composed of six sections, the bike lanes stretch from Edsa Aurora to Magallanes southbound. —INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will start apprehending motorcycle riders intruding into the bicycle lanes along Edsa on Monday.Starting Aug. 21, the MMDA said it will impose a P1,000 penalty on those who will be caught using the bike lanes along Edsa for disregarding traffic signs.
Based on its monitoring of the traffic situation along Metro Manila’s major thoroughfare, the MMDA observed too many motorcycle riders passing through the bike lanes, blocking cyclists from using the lane reserved for them.
“The bicycle lane is reserved for cyclists or bikers and not for motorcycle riders,” the MMDA reminded the public on Sunday, adding that they should not be used as “fast lanes” by motorcycles.
Meanwhile, the San Juan City local government has removed the bollards installed along Ortigas Avenue, citing the advice of the MMDA that they have contributed to congestion and road capacity reduction.
Amid the pandemic, the city government said it installed bollards, or short posts that serve as barricades from other vehicles, to support the public’s need for safe and efficient transportation alternatives.
“However, as we gradually return to normalcy, it has become apparent that the presence of bollards is contributing to congestion and road capacity reduction,” it said in a statement on Aug. 18.
The San Juan city government said it was planning to install cat’s eye markers in place of the bollards to ensure the safety of pedestrians and cyclists.
In a letter to San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora, MMDA acting chair Romando Artes said that the agency’s evaluation of traffic data on Ortigas Avenue showed that the physical delineators caused congestion and reduced the road’s capacity.
“These physical delineators also pose maintenance challenges, block driveways and hinder emergency response efforts,” Artes said.
The MMDA suggested implementing a shared lane configuration for the bike lane, specifically in narrow road sections. INQ
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