A bike lane in Edsa-Kamuning, Quezon City (File photo from NIÑO JESUS ORBETA)
MANILA, Philippines — While motorcycles are barred from using the service road in Edsa-Kamuning in Quezon City starting Friday, bikes are still allowed to traverse this portion of the metropolis’ most congested highway.
Romando Artes, chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), made the clarification on Friday.
READ: Edsa-Kamuning service road off limits to motorcycles starting May 3
“Pwede po silang dire-direcho, yung mga nagbibisikleta,” Artes said in a radio dwPM interview when asked if bikes can use the service road.
(The bikers can still go straight ahead on the service road.)
Artes noted that there are designated bike lanes on the service road and that cyclists typically stay inside.
“Unang-una po, may bike lane diyan at hindi naman po gumigitna, hindi umaalis sa bike lane ang mga nagbibisikleta, unlike yung mga motor, nag-i-split po kasi sila ng lane,” Artes said.
(First, there is a bike lane there, and bikers tend to stay in their lane without going to the middle of the road, unlike motorcycle riders who are splitting lanes.)
“Saka kaunti lang naman po sila, at kung pinaikot po natin sila, mas kawawa po ang mga nagbibisikleta,” he added.
(Also, there are just a few of them, and if we are to require bikers to turn, it will be harder for them.)
Instead of using the service road, motorcycles are now directed to take alternative routes such as Scout Borromeo, Panay Avenue, Mother Ignacia Avenue and Scout Albano.
Artes noted motorcycles can cause congestion in the service road.
“Huwag naman pong magalit sa akin ang mga nagmo-motor. Alam naman po natin, nag-i-split yan ng lane at hanggang may espasyo, pipiliting makaabante sa unahan” Artes noted.
(I hope motorcyclists won’t get mad with me, but we all know that they tend to split lanes and occupy as much space as possible [in between cars] until they reach the front.)
“May stop light po kasi dyan sa baba. Kapag nag-go ang stop light, syempre, maliit ang espasyo,” he noted.
(There is a stop light at the service road. When the stoplight says go, of course, there is only a tiny space there.)
“Mabagal po ang pag-usad dahil titingnan mo ang kaliwa’t kanan mo. Tapos, kung maiskip ang mga pagitan ng mga sasakyan dahil may mga motor sa gitna, babagal ang daloy ng traffic,” he explained.
(Traffic would be slow because [four-wheeled drivers] should look to their left and right. Then, if the spaces between vehicles are small because of the motorcycles in the middle, the traffic flow would be slow.)