City execs, cyclists eye bike lanes in Mabalacat
MABALACAT CITY --- Local officials and cy clists are looking into the posibility of establishing bike lanes in the city to help the residents using bicycle as a new mode of transportation now that the country in under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) with reduced capacity of public utility vehicles.
Mayor Cris Garbo and other city officials on Tuesday met with a group of cycling enthusiasts led by Coach Melvin Fausto, who is also a triathlon instruction, and discussed the plan and the bicyle infrastructure.
Fausto asked the mayor to adopt the standard design for bike lanes to protect the bike commuters especially the workers.
He also underscored the need to integrate the bike lanes of cities and towns in Pampanga in order to promote the new mode of transportation.
"May existing road network naman tayo, so sa group namin ang pagaaralan natin ngayon is paano sila ma- connect. But first of all is iconnect sila with the cities' permission and we need to have our own ordinance parang ibig sabihin dapat iisa lang ang guidelines from San Fernando, Angeles, and Mabalacat," Fausto said.
He said the group will work with local government units to construct functional and safe bike lanes.
Fausto said LGUs may start creating temporary bike lanes. "Sa ngayon ang magagawa
lang muna natin ay yung tinatawag na pop-up. Either maglagay tayo ng cones, mga temporary barriers, yung pwede in the meantime hanggang maexecute natin siya in the future."
The cycling coach cited the support of the local government units and concerned government agencies including the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in this endeavor.
"Kasi yung bike lane ang standard will take around four to six meters [wide]," Fausto said.
Garbo expressed support to the plan saying cycling has a lot of benefits especially on people's health, economy and the environment.
"We are trying to push and support yung bike lanes natin kasi yung cycling maraming benefits yan no. Sa health, sa environment and of course sa economy natin," the mayor said.
Aside from this, bike lanes will also be beneficial to workers both in government and private entities.
"This is a wake up call especially sa country natin kasi kung pupunta ka sa ibang bansa napakagandang tignan. Lalo na sa Vietnam na tinaguriang bike capital ng South East Asia," Garbo said.