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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Metro Manila devider San Juan City to remove bike lane bollards to ease traffic

San Juan City to remove bike lane bollards to ease traffic

Published Aug 19, 2023 03:29 am

The San Juan City local government announced on Friday, Aug. 18, its plan to remove bollard dividers from bike lanes to help ease traffic congestion and improve mobility flow as the city gradually return to normalcy after the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"During the peak of the pandemic, San Juan City faced challenges that prompted the local government unit (LGU) to implement measures to address the changing transportation landscape. One of which was the installation of bollards with the intention to support the public's need for safe and efficient transportation alternatives, such as bicycles, during a time of limited public transportation due to Covid-19 restrictions," San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora said.

"However, as we gradually return to normalcy, it has become apparent that the presence of bollards is contributing to congestion and road capacity reduction. The City engaged the expertise of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to evaluate and provide recommendations," he added.

One of MMDA's advices is the removal of bollard dividers to alleviate traffic congestion and restore the roads to their optimal capacity.

The agency said it had conducted a joint report with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) regarding the matter.

According to to the JICA study, "If the road's traffic capacity near an intersection cannot be maintained, a shared lane without bollards can be introduced. It should be indicated by arrow markings."

"The evaluation of traffic data on Ortigas Ave. revealed that the current physical delineators are causing congestion and reducing the road's capacity. These physical delineators also pose maintenance challenges, block driveways, and hinder emergency response efforts. Therefore, we suggest implementing a shared lane configuration for the bike lane, particularly in narrow road sections." the agency explained.

According to Zamora, the city will install cat's eye markers in place of the bollards to maintain the cyclists' and pedestrians' safety.

"We would like to assure every San Juaneño that our commitment to provide safety and convenience remains unwavering," the mayor stressed.

Aside from the bike lanes, the city government also passed a bicycle ordinance that focuses on bike safety protocols.

San Juan also partnered with PNB-Allianz to construct the city's first solar-powered bike pit stop along Pinaglabanan Street.

Yellow street lights were also replaced with bright white LED lights to help bikers and residents who ride around the city at night.

In 2020, San Juan City received the Gold Award from the Mobility Awards for the city government’s efforts in promoting biking and installing infrastructure to protect bikers.

The Mobility Awards is the first citizen-led, incentive-driven campaign encouraging the public to recognize acts of leadership by cities, private companies, and employers to do more for better, safer, and more accessible mobility for the 88 percent of Filipino households who do not own cars.

Related Tags

JICA metro news mayor francis zamora san juan city bike lanes MMDA
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