Tuesday, July 01, 2008 Councilor joins call for bicycle lanes By Grace L. Plata
COUNCILOR Peter Laviña is set to propose a resolution Tuesday that will pave the way for an ordinance to promote the use of bicycles as an alternative means of transportation in Davao City.
In an e-mailed copy of the resolution, Laviña cited the high cost of gasoline for motor vehicles and its ill effects on the environment, such as pollution and climate change, as reason for the proposal.
"There is a need to promote the use of environment-friendly mode of transportation and bicycles present as the most viable, affordable, and safe alternative," Laviña said.
He added that in promoting and encouraging the use of bicycles, incentives and other amenities would be provided for the users.
Among the incentives cited in the proposed ordinance are: exemption from payment of mayor's business permit fees for all bicycle manufacturers, distributors and retailers, and repair shops; exemption from payment of registration fees for bicycle owners; provision of interest-free or low-interest loans for the purchase of bicycles; provision of bicycle parking slots or parking lots for all public buildings and facilities and commercial establishments such as offices, factories, stores, hotels, restaurants, schools, hospitals, malls, among others; provision of bicycle space ahead of any four or more-wheel vehicles at traffic intersections; provision of appropriate traffic signage for the respect for cyclists; and provision of bicycle lanes (separate ordinance).
Councilor Leonardo Avila III, chair of the committee on environment, has already initiated a study in July last year as basis for the provision of bicycle lanes.
The survey, prepared by the Support Services and Coordinative Section of the City Administrator's office, was made in the areas of Quezon-Boulevard-Roxas Avenue, Magsaysay Avenue, Agdao Flyocer-Leon Garcia Streets, Quimpo Boulevard-Bolton Bridge, R. Castillo-Sasa, Lanang Junction, McArthur Highway Junction and Quimpo Boulevard Junction.
It showed that there are two to three bikers passing through the city's main streets in a single minute.
Avila said these statistics would strongly prove the need to establish bike lanes in the city's main thoroughfares to protect the bikers.
The ordinance establishing bike lanes passed on first reading during the City Council's regular session in July 2007 and was referred to the committee on energy, transportation, and communication chaired by Councilor Pilar Braga.
The proposal to establish bike lanes, however, is not a new move as Mayor Rodrigo Duterte already issued Executive Order 21 back in 2005, creating the technical working group (TWG) that will tackle and draft the bicycle lane ordinance. The survey cited by Avila is part of the output of the TWG.
The ordinance will provide for the establishment of lanes in highways and signage in small roads would be an integral part of the Traffic Management System.
Provisions of the bike lanes ordinance crafted in January 2008 classified the lanes into three.
The first lane is classified as "for common use."
Avila said these are in areas like the city's main streets where it is impossible to establish a separate bike lane.
"What we plan to do in places like San Pedro Street is to identify a speed limit in a particular lane to make it safe for bikers," Avila said in January.
The second classification is the "priority path". Avila said this lane is where cars can also pass through but are expected to "respect" bikers.
"The rule here is to 'yield to bikes.' Pwedeng daanan ng mga vehicles pero kung maraming bikers, sila talaga ang priority," Avila said.
The last classification is the designated bike lane, which according to Avila needs a longer time to implement.
"The city can implement the first two immediately kasi madali lang yun through the help of the Traffic Management Center," Avila said.
In Laviña's proposal, on the other hand, bicycle users through the association of cyclists in the city will be part of the Local Special Bodies, such as the Traffic Management Coordinating Board and the City Development Council, among others, to help study proposals and programs for the implementation of bike lanes.
