After the tugboat/minibus carcass being passed as a river ferry, another MMDA hare-brained idea. The pedestrian lane along EDSA-Corinthian-Camp Aguinaldo was converted to bike lanes...










MANILA, Philippines - (UPDATED 4:52PM) Two more bike lanes will be opened by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on March 26 in hopes of encouraging more people to use alternative modes of transportation amid worsening traffic conditions arising from the simultaneous road works on 15 projects.

MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino said the new bike lanes will be opened on Epifanio de Los Santos Avenue: from Ortigas to Santolan (northbound) along EDSA and another from White Planes from EDSA to Temple Drive.

"We will be adding more bicycle lanes to promote street and neighborhood identity, increase foot and bike traffic and reduce vehicle congestion along major roads," said Tolentino.

The MMDA maintains bike lanes along EDSA between Magallanes and Ayala Avenue in Makati City and on Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City.

Coming soon: Bike-kadahan, bike shelters

Meanwhile, the opening of the 2-kilometer bicycle lane will come with two other schemes by the MMDA the ‘Bike-Kadahan’ or bicycle-sharing scheme, and mobile bike shelters using trailer trucks.

Under ‘bike-kadahan’ interested riders may use bicycles provided by the MMDA for free. They just have to present a valid identification card in exchange for a card indicating the bike number. The card should be surrendered at the exit area where the bike will be returned.

For the shelter, a small trailer truck will serve as mobile bicycle shelters on designated bicycle lanes in various parts of Metro Manila. The mobile station will allow authorities to re-deploy bikes, for instance, to the university belt, while the España flyover is being constructed.

The trailer can accommodate up to 50 bicycles.

According to Tolentino, riders may also leave their own bicycles at these bike shelters for free. MMDA personnel will man these shelters for safekeeping under the MMDA Bike Lanes Project Office created on December 10, 2012 under Administrative Order Number 06 Series of 2012.

Tolentino has stressed that besides providing an alternative way for people to move around, bike lanes are eco-friendly, easing the burdens posed by carbon emissions on the environment. Earlier, the MMDA also put up a 1.75-kilometer-long bike lane from Remedios Circle to Adriatico Street and a 550-meter stretch from President Quirino Avenue to the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) in Manila.

Similar lanes have also been set up along the entire whole stretch of Marcos Highway connecting the cities of Marikina and Antipolo in Rizal province.