Bike lanes proposal to be filed next week

A proposed ordinance that seeks to provide bike lanes at designated roads in Cebu City will be filed in next Wednesday’s session of the City Council.

Councilor Nida Cabrera, author of the proposed ordinance, said the proposal also calls for establishing regulations in relation to managing traffic in bicycle lanes.

She also named the ordinance as the “Tindak Sugbo Lanes Ordinance.”

“The term Tindak Sugbo is to give a local brand to the ordinance. This was what we  came up with after a consultation with local bike groups,” said Lito Vasquez, the councilor’s executive assistant.

Cabrera met with cycling enthusiasts last Monday to consult with them on the ordinance.  Vasquez said they will also meet with representatives from the transport sector next Monday.

Perception

“We have to have the same perception on the bike lanes with the transport groups. They have to understand that the lanes won’t be closed to them, it will instead be shared,” he said.

Under the proposed ordinance, the Cebu City Integrated Traffic Operations Management (Citom) will designate areas as bike lanes or bike-friendly zones upon the recommendation of the Bike Lanes Board or the Tindak Sugbo Board.

The City Engineer’s Office in coordination with the Department of Public Works and Highways and Citom, will be responsible in putting up road signages in  the designated areas.
The board will be chaired by the mayor while the chairman of the City Council environment committee will be the vice chairman.

The board will be composed of representatives from  Citom, Department of Engineering and Public Works, City Planning and Development Office, five local bike groups and one civil society organization with a biking-related program.

Vasquez said the proposed bike lane will be “shared” meaning motor vehicles may still use the road if there are no bikers using it.

However, priority should always be given to bikers when they need to use the lane.

Last Tuesday, Cabrera said barangay officials in Lahug  were amenable to the road-sharing scheme to be pilot-tested in the barangay every Sunday for six months starting March 30.