Bike lanes on EDSA will open today, August 15, and traffic authorities and bicycle organizations are calling for volunteers to help man it.
The EDSA Bike Lane (southbound), will be open from August 15 to 18, 6am to 10am, and will be composed of six major sections: Aurora to Santolan, Santolan to Ortigas, Ortigas to Shaw, Shaw to Guadalupe, Guadalupe to Buendia, and Buendia to Magallanes.
“Cycling enables those who are unable to access public transport to travel efficiently and with safe physical distancing... Bike-lane development needs to be our highest priority in the transport sector,” transport planner Robert Siy said.
The lack of public transportation during the COVID-19 quarantine has forced workers to rely on two-wheeled vehicles. Several local government units have added bicycle lanes and installed bike racks.
Those willing to provide assistance will be tasked to do a bike count in shifts, make sure motorists won’t enter the lane on both ends, ensure there are no untoward incidents, and help bike commuters in case of emergency. The bike lane needs at least five volunteers per section and shift.
“Road space needs to be managed in order to maximize the throughput of people, rather than the throughput of cars. This principle should guide our decisions on the bike lanes on EDSA and on all other major roads,” Siy said.
Those who want to volunteer can sign up here.
For more of our stories on the ongoing crisis, click here. For the latest news and updates on COVID-19, check out reportr.world/covid-19.
NOTE: This article first appeared on Reportr.world. Minor edits have been made.
