By Dhel Nazario
San Juan City launched on Wednesday its pop-up bike lanes as part of the new normal coinciding with the World Bike Day.
Mayor Francis Zamora said the bike lanes were set up in cooperation with EDSA Evolution, to protect the frontliners and the rest of the San Juaneños who have gone back to work using their bikes this week.
"This is in line with the initiatives to provide our beloved people with a safe transportation option now that only tricycles are allowed during the implementation of the General Community Quarantine (GCQ)," said Mayor Francis Zamora.
Zamora was joined by EDSA Evolution’s Kiesha Mayuga, Police Col. Jaime Santos Of PNP San Juan and the PNP Bike Patrollers, and the Firefly Brigade Philippines – San Juan Chapter.
The group rode their bikes and e-scooters from the San Juan City Hall to the San Juan Medical Center where they were met by the city’s medical frontliners who were recipients of free bicycle units from EDSA Evolution.
The Phase 1 of the pop-up bike lane is from N. Domingo to Ortigas Avenue before the corner of Connecticut which will pass by major facilities and institutions like the San Juan Medical Center (SJMC), the San Juan City Hall, Greenhills Shopping Center and Cardinal Santos Medical Center.
Tricycles have already resumed operations on May 28 but the city government deemed it necessary to provide more mobility options to the public given the uncertainties brought by this pandemic.
San Juan City's partner EDSA Evolution is a group of individuals and organizations from all over the Philippines that aim to make bicycles and other forms of active mobility a staple on our roads.