DOTr opens Davao City bike lane network

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation formally opened the 54.7-kilometer bike lane network in Davao City, adding to the bike lane network in Davao City, Metro Manila, and Metro Cebu to promote active transport.

The DOTr is targeting 535 kilometers of bike lanes by the end of the year, though the total completion remains at 497-kilometers with the addition of the Davao City network. 

In a press release, the department said that the Metro Davao bike lane project was funded by the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act with a total allocation of P145.371 million.

“These are dedicated and protected bicycle lanes. This means, cyclists, no longer have to wrestle on the road," Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said during the virtual ceremony for the bike lane network.

"You don’t have to ply the roads in fear that you might get into an accident or be hit by a car or motor that keeps up with the road. No more talking to other motorists — whether it's a car or a motorcycle — that tell you, "Please, please, please share the road."

The DOTr said the bike lane network project was officially completed on June 30 and spans across 14 road sections within Davao City.

To ensure the safety of bikers, the lanes have white and green pavement markings, signages, bollards, bike symbols, solar studs, and concrete delineators, while bike racks were also erected to allow bikers to secure their bikes.

DPWH Secretary Mark Villar expressed optimism that the protected bike lanes will not only “provide safety and convenience for road users but also encourage the use of bicycles as a healthier and a more environment-friendly alternative.”

Tugade stressed the DOTr’s support for cycling and other forms of active transport which are considered sustainable modes of transport in the most progressive cities in the world.

“By providing Davaoeños with bicycle lanes, they are able to safely maximize usage of their bicycles whether as a mode of transportation for work or business or as a means for exercise and leisure activities,” Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte said at the ceremony.

The Davao City chief executive called biking "a key mechanism in the fulfillment of the city’s sustainability and renewability goals."

DOTr Assistant Secretary Steve Pastor said the bike lane project will "help hasten economic recovery by championing road safety and the importance of road sharing with the establishment of bike facilities."