Bike lane project now up for submission to DOTC

CEBU, Philippines - Following its approval at the Cebu City Council, the proposed bike lane project in the city is now up for submission to the Department of Transportation and Communication for feasibility study funding.

This means the proposed ordinance on the establishment of bike lanes in key areas in the city, known as "Tindak Lanes," took a step closer to its realization.

The study's objective is to "determine the feasibility of bicycle lane to promote bicycle as an alternative mode of transportation as well as to provide access for bike enthusiasts and users to road sharing right as a mechanism to encourage more people to use bicycle and feel secure in traveling alongside with the motorized transport."

The estimated budget for the engineering surveys of the feasibility study stood at P1,481,870.

The budget would be spent on volume count survey amounting to P674,200 with 36 locations and 15 surveyors per location, three-day nine major roads windshield survey amounting to P27,570, Focus Group Discussion (FGD) for five days with two sessions and 10 participants per session amounting to P67,700, public consultation meetings involving 40 barangays divided into two sessions with 30 participants per session amounting to P299,200, cost of material and communications amounting to P34,000, overall survey management amounting to P75,000, documentation and write-up of the feasibility study at P45,000, and technical working group honoraria and regular meeting expenses amounting P259,200.

The proposed ordinance identified 36 locations for the bike lanes.

These locations are N. Bacalso Avenue, C. Padilla Street, Sabellano Street, Katipunan Street, Tres de Abril Street, Osmeña Boulevard, Colon Street, Magallanes Street, General Maxilom Street, P. del Rosario Street through New Imus Road, N. Escario Street, Gorordo Avenue, Arch. Reyes Avenue, Salinas Drive, Pope John Paul II Avenue, Gov. M. Cuenco Avenue, M. J. Cuenco Avenue, and S. Osmeña Avenue.

The city government, upon the recommendation of City Traffic Operations Management (CITOM), earlier sought the help of the DOTC for technical and financial assistance for the feasibility study.

DOTC Assistant Secretary Jaime Raphael Feliciano, in a May 6 letter, asked the city government to submit a project brief for assistance under the Special Pollution Control Fund (SVPCF) considering that the bike lane was not included in the transport services study for Metro Cebu.  (FREEMAN)