THE pandemic has taught people to slow down.
Jim Ward, co-founder of Daily Cycle Movement (DCM) Baguio, said: “The fact that we are choking ourselves, choking the earth with more cars, mass transit and highways… we don’t expect the world to turn around and be on a bike. But for those of us who want it, we want to be an alternative for ourselves, our kids and grandkids.”
Ward has facilitated together with bike groups the loan of 18 bikes to medical frontliners in Baguio and La Trinidad, Benguet.
“One thing that inspires me, we have nurses from Notre Dame that live in La Trinidad, but they were walking home from the hospital and would take them an hour and a half. That really told me we need to do something,” Ward said, adding it is not only bikes that are loaned to health workers as they are equipped with a vest, lights and helmets culled from donations.
At present, there are 1,200 members of the DCM, with members from Baguio and La Trinidad who advocate alternative transport.
Biking under the new norm
The Baguio City Council, for the past years, supported the move to have bicycle lanes, and in the first months of community quarantine, pushed to allow a mandatory installation of pedestrian, brisk-walking and bicycle lanes in all feasible roads of the city.
Today, bike racks were placed in Lake Drive, Calderon and Insular near City Hall gate. The City Government also declared every Sunday as a biking and scooter day, promoting health and wellness and introducing an alternative mode of transport.
The Valley Moves for Bikes
In La Trinidad, Benguet, a review of previous laws allotting bike and pedestrian lanes is being done as a response to the need for alternative transportation.
JP Alipio was given the go signal by Mayor Romeo Salda to survey the roads during the first month of the enhanced community quarantine to make into reality the plans for the biking community.
Alipio submitted an 86-page plan for the establishment of pop-up or temporary bike and pedestrian lanes for the town, as well as the Halsema Highway and Pico Road, in an opportunity to make the town bike- and pedestrian-friendly, as the public battles transport challenges in the limited capacity for public utility vehicles.
“I have always owned a bike ever since I was young and for me, it’s all about getting around, getting to different places. I’ve lived here in La Trinidad. And getting around here is much easier with a bicycle than a car,” Alipio said.
The biking advocate said the creation of a network of safe bike lanes and pedestrian walkways is being pushed, which will lower transport load from other modes of transportation and encourage people to bike and walk.
In the proposal, bikers further seek for the engagement of the public through growing the ridership among target groups in the town, including residents, employees, students, those who do not own private vehicles and recreational bike riders as they sought for the establishment of a permanent bike lane to be utilized in the future.
Endorsement from the government
Marlo Iringan, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Unit Cordillera regional director, said they are encouraging towns and cities to have active transport “that people would go to their destination through walking or biking to promote health, decongest the road, so long as they comply with the health requirement of proper wearing of mask and distancing.”
The DILG recommends the use of bicycles and walking as essential and safer modes of transport as this allows physical distancing and provides the needed mobility for citizens to proceed with their daily activities.
Iringan explained in line with the directive to come up with the bicycle lanes and walking paths, LGUs need to revisit their local public transport route plan (LPTRP).
The pandemic has given officials time to assess and take steps for the realization of infrastructure for the biking community. It is now in the hands of the community to realize the dream of a friendlier riding environment for all.
Discussion about this post