POSSIBLE violations await motorists for using and blocking designated bike lanes, the Davao City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) warned.
CTTMO chief Dionisio Abude said the City Government, through the 19th City Council, is currently harmonizing some provisions of the city Bicycle Ordinance and the Traffic Code of Davao.
“Gina-finalize na nato ang penalties sa parking or obstruction sa bike lanes. Since naa na man ta’y bike lanes, so, mag-implement na pud ta nga dapat walay mo-parking diha (We are finalizing the penalties for the [illegal] parking on or obstruction of our bike lanes. Since we already have bike lanes, we will be imposing rules that no one should be parking there),” Abude said.
As of now, Abude said car drivers who have illegally parked on bike lanes are charged with illegal parking and fined P500. In addition, they may be also facing charges in violation of disregarding traffic signs.
Abude added that the desired time for stopping or dropping in designated bike lanes is 4 minutes. Beyond that, if caught, the violator will be issued a citation ticket.
He also said that the CTTMO is prioritizing the establishment of the Bike Management Team to monitor the correct use of bike lanes in the city.
At present, the city has 27 roads with new and upgraded bike lanes.
The CCTMO is working on educating more Dabawenyos about the safety and the proper use of bike lanes.
“Kung unsay mga rules and regulations with regards to motorists, in relation to traffic rules and regulations, is the same responsibility sa nagagamit sa atong bike lanes (Whatever rules and regulations we have with regards to motorists, in relation to traffic rules and regulations, it is still the same responsibility for our bike lane users),” he said.
Abude also encouraged motorists and bikers to follow traffic rules and regulations religiously.
“Ang pinakaimportante man gyud ani kay disiplina gyud sa mga nagabisikleta, nagagamit sa bike lanes ug motorists. Bisan asa ta nga lugar, atong ipatigbabaw gyud ang disiplina (What is important is we have to enforce discipline among bike riders and motorists. Wherever it may be, we have to exercise the value of discipline),” he said.
The City Government is also collaborating with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Davao to create more dedicated lanes for bicycle riders along the Carlos P. Garcia Highway (Diversion Road), Davao-Bukidnon Highway, Matina Aplaya to Ecoland Drive, C. Bangoy St., Ecowest Drive, and Tulip Drive.
The creation of the bike lanes is in accordance with the order of the Department of the Interior and Local Government urging all local government units to establish bicycle lanes in all local roads to support those who will bike to their work destination due to the reduced capacity of public transportation under the general community quarantine.
Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, meanwhile, signed the suspension through Executive Order 40, series of 2020, or "An order providing for the suspension of bicycle registration, bicycle registration fees, and allowing the use of bicycle lanes in the City of Davao," which was publicly released on Friday, June 19, 2020.
Councilor Conrado Baluran, committee chairperson on transportation, said in a radio interview on May 6 that the council is currently harmonizing the two ordinances after having conflicts on the penalties and registration.
"Hopefully within this month, maasikaso nato siya and mahan-ay na nato (we will be able to work on harmonizing the ordinance), and we will have an amended ordinance on bicycle," Baluran said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio. (With reports from CIO)