A cyclist takes on the treacherous Transcentral Highway in Busay, which is a known bike route for cyclists in Cebu. CDN Digital photo | Brian J. Ochoa
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Councilor James Cuenco, the City Council’s chairperson for the committee on transportation, is asking the Sugbo Bike Lanes Board (SBLB) to study the possibility of putting up bike lanes in roads in the city’s upland barangays.
Cuenco, in a phone interview with CDN Digital, said there is an increasing number of bikers riding up to upland areas through the Transcentral Highway, and he believes these bikers need to be protected via bike lanes.
Cuenco is aware, though, of the logistical problems of putting up bike lanes in these areas because of the narrow roads, especially in the interior barangays.
“Dunay mga reports nga mga bikers, daghan na naaksidente although dili serious. Daghan na nahitabo, di man kaayo life threatening. Mao na ato ipastudyhan if maayo ba magbutang og bike lanes didto,” said Cuenco.
(There are reports that there are minor accidents involving bikers. It happens a lot of times already although some are not life threatening. That’s why we want them to study if it is possible to put bike lanes there.)
To make it feasible, Cuenco is asking the SBLB and the CCTO to study and formulate a plan for a bike lane that would reach up to TransCentral Highway.
Cuenco is, thus, urging the Department of Public Works and Highways in Central Visayas (DPWH-7) to study, determine, and establish appropriate bike lanes in the Cebu City portion of the said highway.
He hopes that this would be possible because the bikers must be protected in areas where they are most vulnerable.
“Kinahanglan safe atong mga bikers nga magsige og saka dinha,” he added.
(Our bikers who always go up there should be safe.)
It can be recalled that Cebu City has recently completed that placing of bike lanes in city 24 roads.
Read: Bike lanes in 24 roads completed in Cebu City
This happened almost a year after Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella promised to open bike lanes for those who have chosen to ride bikes due to the lack of public transportation during the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read: Bikers asked to give way to jeepneys in stops during peak hours in Cebu City
/bmjo