Bayanihan 2's 338km bike lanes in NCR to finish by June 30

by: SUSAN G. DE LEON

CALOOCAN CITY, June 14 (PIA) -- The Department of Public Works and Highways National Capital Region (DPWH-NCR) and Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced that the 338-kilometer Bayanihan 2 bike lanes across Metro Manila will be servicing the public by June 30, 2021.

The Bayanihan to Heal as One Act or Bayanihan 2 allotted P1.1 billion for the building of bike lanes.

"These Bayanihan 2 bike lanes are really focused on the immediate establishment of bike lane infrastructure for the country particularly in metropolitan areas," DOTr Road Transport and Infrastructure chief Mark Steven Pastor said.

Under the budget, P800 million will be used to construct over 338 kilometers of bike lanes in Metro Manila, while P150 million will fund the planned 140 kilometers of bike lanes in Metro Cebu.

The same amount goes for Metro Davao's proposed 43-kilometer bike lanes.

Congress representatives and members of cycling associations recently joined the DPWH and DOTr to inspect the progress of construction of protected bike lanes along Roxas Boulevard in Manila. 

Pastor and DPWH NCR Regional Director Eric A. Ayapana headed the joint inspection, together with Representative France L. Castro of ACT Teachers Partylist, Rodolfo M. Ordones of Senior Citizens Partylist, representatives of Committee on Transportation headed by its Chairperson Honorable Edgar Mary S. Sarmiento, and members of Hataw Padyak and Bikers Club. 

Pastor said these bike lanes were created from feasibility study results and recommendations from national and local governments.

 

Under the Bayanihan 2, a Memorandum of Agreement with DOTr, the DPWH NCR had started building protected bike lanes along the major national roads of Metro Manila. 

The DOTr funded project was a response to the growing number of bikers, mostly workers looking for alternative means of transportation due to the pandemic, and to encourage more people to invest in sustainable active transportation. 

Regional Director Eric A. Ayapana also announced the upcoming construction of protected bike lanes around the South, starting from Alabang, Muntinlupa, Las Piñas, and Paranaque. (PIA NCR)