Green space or a bike lane
TACLOBAN CITY – The council members of this city approved a resolution endorsing two proposed projects to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
These projects are the Tacloban City Urban Bike Lane, and the development of Green Spaces in Tacloban North. However, the DBM will only choose one of the two proposed projects for funding.
During their last week’s regular session, the city council was graced by Tacloban City Engineer Chief Dionisio de Paz and discussed the Tacloban City Urban Bike Lane project.
“It is very important that we have discussed this in the council to know which is the priority, the urban bike lane or the green space,” Vice Mayor Jerry Yaokasin said.
The component of the urban bike lane which the city government is proposing starts from the City Hall grounds to the Tacloban City Astrodome, going to the northern barangay.
Yaokasin also stressed that it is important to know which of the two proposed projects is needed by the city residents at this time to ensure that the fund to be utilized are used properly and would benefit the people most.
“We are leaving it to the DBM to decide, instead us deciding what is best for our city. I think we should look at it in a way which is more important, the bike lane but what the DBM approves is the green space or the green space but they approved the proposal for the urban bike lane,” the vice mayor said.
“Hopefully if this will be implemented, this could help in easing traffic situation and also in the safety of bikers,” Yaokasin added.
The proposed Tacloban Urban Bike Lane will cost P21.79 million and will cover a total of 28 kilometers from the city downtown area to astrodome then to the park near the GMA Kapuso Housing, according to Tacloban City Engineer Chief Dionisio de Paz.
Prior to creating the proposal, the city government had called for a meeting with different bike organizations, de Paz said.
Included in the proposal is the construction of a waiting shed, bike parking area, and structures that will separate motorists to bikers, and bike lanes in road designated as one way street.
Protective equipment are to be installed like the structural barriers to protect the bikers who are traversing bike lanes located along the national highways.
“We have structures that will separate vehicles from bike lane; there are also areas where we will use paint as markings,” De Paz said.
“In Anibong, since residents of this area are to be relocated, road will be extended for the construction of bike lane,” he added.
De Paz added motorcycles are not allowed to use the bike lane.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
