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Post by warlock^_^ on Aug 17, 2005 8:02:16 GMT 8
Bike lanes planned for Metro Manila
First posted 01:16am (Mla time) Aug 17, 2005 By Tarra V. Quismundo, Edson Castro Tandoc Jr. Inquirer News Service
BICYCLE lanes in the metropolis?
Why not, if it means big savings on fare or fuel expenses, says the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
In the midst of soaring oil prices, the MMDA Tuesday said it has begun mapping out a network of bike lanes and pedestrian walkways throughout the metropolis.
“We are in the planning stage right now, identifying locations where it would be viable to create the bike lanes,” said MMDA General Manager Robert Nacianceno. “The idea is to create lanes where people can both walk and bike to short distances, instead of taking their cars.”
Taking off from bike lanes established in Marikina City by MMDA Chair Bayani Fernando during his term as city mayor, the agency has created a technical committee to plan the project dubbed the “Foot and Pedal Ways Project.”
“It is important for people to have these lanes especially if they just want to go to nearby destinations like the grocery or market,” Nacianceno added.
Working on a projected budget of P200 million, the agency’s planning office is identifying suitable routes for the bike lanes. The lanes would interconnect Metro Manila’s 17 cities and municipalities.
The MMDA would be coordinating with Metro Manila-based bike groups to determine the roads perfect for bike lane locations.
Local government units would also be tapped for the planning and design of bike routes as secondary roads. The law specifies that these routes fall under local jurisdiction. Nacianceno, however, said bike lanes might also be built on some major roads.
In the initial design, Nacianceno said the foot and pedal lanes would be placed on ground level, and would be wider than the standard sidewalk so the lanes can fit more people and bikes.
“We could even place the lanes in the middle of roads, or add more lanes to existing roads. There could be 100 kilometers of bike lanes or more than that, depending on the findings of the technical working group,” he said.
The resulting decrease in the number of cars on the road could help lessen the volume of harmful vehicle emissions, and eventually improve Metro Manila’s air quality, Nacianceno added.
The Marikina City government has already offered the bike lane formula to its residents.
“Using bicycles is actually pro-poor,” Mayor Marides Fernando told Inquirer. “For just P2,000, the price of an ordinary bicycle, you can go anywhere, without spending for gasoline.”
The city started its bikeways program five years ago, even forming a Marikina City Bikeways Office to implement the project.
The program encourages residents to use bicycles as a means of transportation, according to program head Lota Contreras.
Fernando said the formula, so far, has been effective, with almost 10,000 residents using bicycles to report for work at City Hall or to go to the market.
“Biking has many benefits. Apart from cutting down on your gasoline bills, it is good for the health and for the environment,” the mayor added.
And instead of waiting for austerity measures to be initiated by the national government, she said this was one project local governments could adopt.
Part of the Marikina program is a plan to build at least 66 km of continuous bike ways connecting markets, schools and other key areas. The city already has almost 30 km of bikeways, with the 377-meter bicycle lane in Barangay Sto. Niño as the latest addition to the network.
The new bike lane ending at the Katipunan Access Road is connected to the existing bike lane running from Barangay Concepcion Dos, passing through Parang Area and ending in Barangay Fortune, the site of many factories in the city.
An additional 16-km bike lane will hopefully open this year.
The bike program brochure sums up the project’s success in the city: “Dealing with the fact that gasoline prices are shooting up, cycling seems to be well on its way to becoming the smart choice for the commuting population. The bicycle is now regarded as the key to fuel savings.”
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Post by g.b.b on Aug 17, 2005 8:26:22 GMT 8
this is it... i saw the sign!!!!!! hehehehe < may masamang balak >
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Post by marcs on Aug 17, 2005 8:37:18 GMT 8
Eto pa
Flavier solution to oil crisis: Go ride a bike
First posted 05:30am (Mla time) Aug 17, 2005 By TJ Burgonio Inquirer News Service
Editor's Note: Published on page A5 of the August 17, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer
ISN’T IT about time you took your trusty old bicycle out of the garage, oiled its rusted parts and started riding it to work?
The idea of biking to the workplace is fast gaining proponents in the Senate after the government sounded the call to conserve energy in view of the looming oil crisis.
The senators, who ride their Benzes, Jaguars and Lincolns everywhere, may not be the best persons to talk about the joys of biking, but pedaling to work may not be such a bad idea at all.
“With the cost of gasoline going up to P40 per liter, we have to think of alternative modes of transport to save on gasoline, and biking and walking are two of the most practical,” said Senate Pro Tem Juan Flavier. “It’s the only way out.”
Above everything else, the gains that could be had from biking are countless, according to some senators.
“We should start using bicycles. Why not? We become more physically fit as a people if we use bicycles,” said Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, who Print this story Send this story Write the editor Reprint this article View other stories
at 81 was willing to show the way for everyone.
“I can bike from here to my province,” boasted the lawmaker from Cagayan.
“There will be less noxious fumes if bicycles are used,” agreed Senate Majority Leader Francis Pangilinan.
There had been attempts in the past to ban cars in favor of bicycles in sections of the metropolis on certain days to reduce air pollution, but these never took off.
Senator Pia Cayetano, a cycling enthusiast who logs hundreds of kilometers a week, voiced support for the bike-to-work proposal, but said this was only “doable” if one’s home was near his workplace.
“It would work if we implement this for people who live near their offices, for example, in Taguig. Most of the people there live 5 kilometers away from their jobs. That’s an ideal place to implement this,” she said.
Allowing cyclists on major thoroughfares, like EDSA (Epifanio delos Santos Avenue), would also need comprehensive planning between the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and local government units, Cayetano said.
“I speak from experience because I bike 200 km a week. I bike on busy roads, on small roads. Either way it’s dangerous because motorists are not used to bikers,” she said. “We have to have a program to ensure the safety of motorists and bikers.”
Flavier has refiled a bill providing for bicycle lanes on main roads and highways around the country to encourage biking and to ensure the safety of bikers.
He stressed that such lanes were needed more in Metro Manila, one of the most densely populated urban areas in the world, since it is the seat of power and the hub of trade and finance.
“That’s where it’s more needed because it will reduce the need for [motorized] transportation. This is an alternative transport that is being done in New York,” he told reporters. “If we decide to do it, we can do it.”
Enrile wondered why most Filipinos opt to take motor vehicles to work when their more affluent Asian neighbors have been using bicycles for years.
“The Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese, before they became affluent, the Malaysians, the Thais and even the Singaporeans use bicycles in order to conserve energy in their countries. Why can’t we do it as Filipinos?” he said.
“We did it during the war. And not only bicycles, we used our legs to walk distances.”
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Post by eiwol on Aug 17, 2005 8:37:24 GMT 8
They have to learn from Marikina City... As i have heard from the news, one of Marikina's public employee mentioned that they don't need to hire consultants to implement this... Anyways BF started it in Marikina, he's the MMDA chair now, so this will be implemented very soon... knowing that BF has been the action man as he is. They should also implement a decree that will require establishments to create a bike parking space, and a secure one that is. What can PinoyMTBiker contribute to make this happen?.... we can have our signature campaign.... .... we can organize and participate to critical mass rides to educate more people about biking.... .... anything else? this is it... i saw the sign!!!!!! hehehehe < may masamang balak > hehehe... pasosyo sa raket mo! (trans: can i be a stockholder?)
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Post by marcs on Aug 17, 2005 8:43:58 GMT 8
I wish they'd also include bike parking areas at the MRT/LRT stations, so that for people who live really far from work (e.g. QC to Makati) they can bike until the station and commute from there
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Post by [ eRECTUS ] on Aug 17, 2005 9:30:05 GMT 8
Hail Fernando!!! Hail Flavier!!! ;D my pen is already up!!!
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Post by [ eRECTUS ] on Aug 17, 2005 9:31:00 GMT 8
I wish they'd also include bike parking areas at the MRT/LRT stations, so that for people who live really far from work (e.g. QC to Makati) they can bike until the station and commute from there where will they leave the bikes? or can they bring it inside with them? sorry im ignorant with MRT's ;D
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yoyeebird
Bike Commuter
Full-time Jack-of-all Trades
Posts: 55
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Post by yoyeebird on Aug 17, 2005 9:56:41 GMT 8
i agree totally to the "bike to wherever" policy. i also agree that establishments (be it malls, shops, offices, MRT stations) should make sure bikes have safe "parking" spaces. and i also have my pen up....if you want a signature campaign to support this.
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bandido
Free Rider
Stress Free
Posts: 290
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Post by bandido on Aug 17, 2005 9:57:18 GMT 8
This is a very good project from our Goverment :DHope this will not just a plan
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duldog
Free Rider
beauty is in the eyes of the beerholder
Posts: 325
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Post by duldog on Aug 17, 2005 9:58:38 GMT 8
i greatly wish it will not be concentrated only in metro manila, it should be nationwide. people frown at me for spending bucks for my bike. they would rather spend it on their XRMs, WAVEs, AURAs....
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Post by anthrax76 on Aug 17, 2005 10:05:40 GMT 8
just my .02 i think we should also push that public utility vehicles (buses, mrt and lrt) should have provision if we bring bikes. i had a colleague who wanted to bike from home to mrt station, then mrt station to office, he was asking me for a folding bike that he can use. i could help with the bike but as to bringing it inside the station is another matter. i think it's in taiwan or singapore that buses have bike racks in the back, maybe we can do it here, same with trains. do we have connections with DOTC? he he he
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rab
Free Rider
Posts: 202
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Post by rab on Aug 17, 2005 10:11:08 GMT 8
i hope they can implement it sooner.
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Post by cobym on Aug 17, 2005 18:01:58 GMT 8
In SFO, California area, they have a "bike train" with specially designed cars where you can ride to the train station, load up your bike, get off and ride to your final destination. right now you can't load up a bike sa MRT. Sisitahin ka ng guard. But they should allow this eventually. I hope.
If BF implements the planned bike lanes in all of Metro Manila well, I will support his presidential bid. Mark my words.
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Post by Ben Dover on Aug 17, 2005 18:25:50 GMT 8
ok so lets pray that oil price hits $150.00 per barrel...just for 2 weeks lang naman para medyo magising yung mga engot hehehe!
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Post by bukoy on Aug 17, 2005 18:37:27 GMT 8
YES LET'S HAVE A CRITICAL MASS RIDE!!! PARA MAPASIN NA ITO ANG ISANG KASAGUTAN SA OIL CRISIS CINO KAYA MAG-ORGANIZE? Ikutin natin ang metropolis once more.
Ang kinakatakot ko lng pag naipatupad na ang bike lane mawawalan na ng trabaho ang mga carnapers baka mag shift na sila sa bike napping activities hehehe
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Post by whoopi on Aug 17, 2005 18:38:00 GMT 8
in lieu of a signature campaign, you can also participate in the following. PDI is the widest-circulated broadsheet, whatever you say here has a good chance of getting heard.
this was posted in the firefly brigade egroup by someone from PDI.
We also have Inquirer SMS QUESTION of the WEEK (for this week it is): ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *** "In the wake of higher oil prices, in what specific ways can you help conserve energy?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS. SMS TEXT your answers: KEY IN:
inquirer(space)box(space)name/age/city/message. ---------------------------------------------------------------
[NOspaces sa portion (name/age/city/message] SMS TEXT your answers to 2207 (Globe) or 283 (Smart). * Deadline is this Sunday, as many of your SMS Text answers will be published in this Tuesday's INQBOX, phil. inquirer, Opinion page. Kung di makapasok ang SMS Text ninyo, please e-mail BRIEF ANSWERS (2-3 paragraphs at the most) to:
feedback@inquirer.com.ph
Please indicate sa SUBJECT ng e-mail "SMS Text answers to Question of the Week"
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Post by minotaur on Aug 17, 2005 20:17:26 GMT 8
just my .02 i think we should also push that public utility vehicles (buses, mrt and lrt) should have provision if we bring bikes. i had a colleague who wanted to bike from home to mrt station, then mrt station to office, he was asking me for a folding bike that he can use. i could help with the bike but as to bringing it inside the station is another matter. i think it's in taiwan or singapore that buses have bike racks in the back, maybe we can do it here, same with trains. do we have connections with DOTC? he he he I agree! In parts of the UK folding bikes and scooters are allowed in buses and trains with no extra cost. An a small fee for regular bikes for train transport.
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Post by the D. on Aug 17, 2005 21:39:36 GMT 8
i hope the bike lanes includes a drop, a 5ft jump, berms, and bridges ala northshore extreme hehehe
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Post by fullspeed on Aug 17, 2005 22:25:35 GMT 8
i hope the bike lanes includes a drop, a 5ft jump, berms, and bridges ala northshore extreme hehehe Hehehehehe ;D
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Post by raven on Aug 17, 2005 22:31:41 GMT 8
yup.....like 5-10 steps.....and 3-5" drop thats nice........and a canal gap..maybe 4-5 feet....thats very nice....
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Post by g.b.b on Aug 18, 2005 4:33:03 GMT 8
yup.....like 5-10 steps.....and 3-5" drop thats nice........and a canal gap..maybe 4-5 feet....thats very nice.... this is so mean... well, make it 15-20steps and 5-8ft drop, that's better, so we can prepare once redbull challenge arrives in our country.. and 80mm fork will be obsolete... hehehe....and all "suplado" road bikers will be gone as well!!! yipeeee
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Post by anthrax76 on Aug 18, 2005 8:55:22 GMT 8
i'm just being optimistic but.... if this plan pushes through, maybe the local bike industry will grow too. we can have locally made quality frames and components that will we can brand as proudly pinoy made. i don't know if it will be cheap but maybe we can also outsource the manufacturing somewhere (taiwan?) he he he. so we might have local brands but the quality of the welds and material would be the same to US brands, ha ha ha, cheaper and readily available i'm just dreaming, he he he
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Post by marcs on Aug 18, 2005 9:28:15 GMT 8
good one anthrax76. yeah that would be nice . . . how about making the Philippines an eco-tourism area for epic bike rides just like in europe (check out www.transalpriders.com!). that would be a real boost to the economy as well, not t ey, libreng managinip
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Post by styxmaster69 on Aug 18, 2005 9:32:11 GMT 8
I do hope it will be implement soon.....
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Post by losiphile on Aug 18, 2005 9:35:00 GMT 8
There's both pros and cons to this... Pros: We'll have a cleaner environment (air that is) ;D We'll have good exercise ;D We'll be able to conserve fuel energy ;D And so on... ;D ;D Cons: As oil prices shoot up, bikes and bike parts prices are also affected Parking fee for bikes will be implemented So... Better start assembling bikes now while the prices are still affordable... ;D Parking fee...let's just cross the bridge when we get there ;D
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Post by whoopi on Aug 18, 2005 10:54:46 GMT 8
speaking of cons, i once read an argument against bike lanes, strange as that may be. the argument goes: bike lanes won't teach motorists to share the road with cyclists. cyclists will always be secondary road users. also, you can't build bike lanes everywhere, there will still be large portions where cyclicts will have to merge with motorized traffic. so, the argument goes, the solution is to teach motorists to share the road with cyclists, and not isolate the cyclists in bike lanes.
personally, i'd still go for bike lanes. more people would feel safer biking on the road, and with more bikers around, we could build momentum to "force" motorists to share the roads with us.
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Post by Ben Dover on Aug 18, 2005 11:39:53 GMT 8
creating bike lanes for cyclist will show how much importance and recognition our government is giving to our cyclists and their advocacy...then motorists and other people will do the same...dun magkakaruon ng respeto...its that simple. kung kanino man galing yung argumentong yon..parang dehins yata sya nag iisip mabuti
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Post by anthrax76 on Aug 18, 2005 11:40:46 GMT 8
in finland, there are bike racks in the train stations, these are for free, just bring your bike and a cable lock. the central train station is in helsinki, almost all trains have that as their last stop. outside the train station, there are a lot of cheap bikes for rent, well actually not for rent but the way it was designed is this.... 1) pick your bike of choice, insert a 1 euro coin in the slot and the lock will release the bike. 2) use the bike for as much as you want (mostly recreational city riding or commuting from station to office) 3) at the end of your ride you just place the bike back in the rack, then your 1 euro coin pops back out. since i'm pinoy, i thought that what if somebody just stole the bikes? i mean 1 euro = 1 bike, that's is too sweet a deal. but the idea came to mind that those bikes might have non-standard parts, if they break and it's brought to an lbs, they won't have parts that will fit the bike. most likely the bikes are registered so it's easy to track down if it gets stolen. just an idea
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Post by whoopi on Aug 18, 2005 11:48:35 GMT 8
TOLITS - onga.
ANTHRAX - ganun din ata sa belgium. i'm thinking naman, why would anyone want to steal the bike? to sell them for scrap, perhaps? if stealing means not returning, why would anyone want to do that pa rin, when you can esaily get another one just like it anywhere? soli mo na lang, la ka pa problema sa parking, and you get your 1 euro back pa. ;D
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Post by anthrax76 on Aug 18, 2005 11:57:28 GMT 8
@ ma'am whoopi - precisely, he he he, that's what i thought so too when i saw that the bike rack in the central station is still full of for rent bikes. if we implement something like that in the philippines, we could even post reward for junkshops or lbs that will report a stolen rented bike let's just hope and pray that bike lanes will not just be a dream here but a reality that will be respected my cyclists and motorists
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