Joselito Malig

Article (news)

Bike lane

Lyza Aquino

ABS-CBN News

QUEZON CITY — Some cyclists and motorcycle riders disagree over the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority’s (MMDA) proposed plan to convert the bike lane on Commonwealth Avenue into a shared lane for bicycles and motorcycles.Mitoon Sarip, a motorcycle taxi rider who frequently plies the busy Commonwealth Avenue, welcomed the proposal.With the current single motorcycle lane, he said it’s a daily struggle to navigate the traffic — often spending no less than two hours just to transport passengers through the area.&quot;Mas maganda &#x27;yung ata yun, sang-ayon na sang-ayon kasi siyempre hindi naman gaanong marami ang dumadaan na bike. &#x27;Di ba? Mas marami &#x27;yung motorsiklo eh siyempre hindi sila kasiya doon. Ang sa akin, araw-araw andito ako. Hindi lang kung minsan, apat na beses ako dumaan dito pero napapansin ko na talagang nagsisiksikan kami doon sa may motor lane,” he said. <div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/weather-traffic/2025/6/20/mmda-meets-with-motorcycle-riders-eyes-splitting-bicycle-lanes-1819">MMDA meets with motorcycle riders; eyes splitting bicycle lanes </a></div>MMDA Chairman Atty. Romando Artes said the shared lane is among the options they are considering to ease congestion for motorcycle riders.According to Artes, the current 5-meter-wide bike lane could be split in half to provide an additional 2.5 meters for motorcycles — effectively adding two more motorcycle lanes.“Ang isa sa mga naisip na posibleng solusyon ng MMDA, lawakan pa ang espasyo para sa mga naka-motorsiklo. Ah, unang-una &#x27;yung malaking tsansa sa akin at pinakamaganda, beneficial sa lahat, hatiin &#x27;yung bike lane. Kasi sa ngayon nasa 5 meters siya. Kung ibibigay natin ang 2.5 meters sa nagmomotor, um, additional two lanes po &#x27;yan,” Artes said.“Ah, &#x27;yun po &#x27;yung dine-discuss din namin na ili-limit ba natin &#x27;yan sa lahat ng, o ibibigay ba natin &#x27;yan sa lahat ng mga nagmo-motor kung sakaling maipatupad, or ili-limit natin , sa TNVS or motorcycle taxi,” he added.However, the proposal is being met with strong opposition from some members of the cycling community, who argue that it compromises cyclist safety.One of them is Domel Rosasiña, who bikes daily from Batasan to his workplace in Banawe.“Dapat bigyan talaga ng priority &#x27;yung mga bike lane. Kasi marami naman nagba-bike eh. Hindi lang naman &#x27;yung mga motor ang pwedeng gumamit sa kalsada natin dahil public naman &#x27;yan, &#x27;di ba?  So, dapat meron ding ano, ah, hindi mahirapan &#x27;yung mga biker kasi marami nagba-bike eh,” said Rosasiña.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/weather-traffic/2025/6/21/tv-patrol-ano-ang-opinyon-mo-sa-panukalang-commonwealth-ave-shared-lane-1918">TV PATROL: Ano ang opinyon mo sa panukalang Commonwealth Ave. shared lane?</a></div>“Kung may sariling bike lane talaga dapat ah, iwas aksidente &#x27;yun. Eh kasi maraming mga pasaway din ng mga motorista eh talagang dapat magkaroon talaga ng dapat na ano sariling lane talaga dapat. Ang bike dapat bike lang. Motor dapat motor lang,” he added.Daniel “Speed” Yamio, president of the Philippine Confederation of Senior Cyclists Inc., said it defeats the purpose of the bike lanes.“Bike lanes were designed and implemented to provide a safe, protected space for cyclists who are among the most vulnerable road users. Allowing the motorcycle to use these lanes compromise the original intent and places cyclists at a significantly greater risk of injury or accident,” said Yamio.“As a non-motorized vehicle, bicycles travel at a lower speed and lack of physical protection. There have already been reports of near miss incident and collision resulting from motorcycle encroaching into this lane,” he added.Transport economist and urban planner Robert Siy Jr. echoed these concerns and proposed an alternative solution. He suggested that space for motorcycle riders should come from the existing mixed traffic lanes used by private vehicles, not from bike lanes. Citing a study from the U.S.-based National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), Siy said that public transport and motorcycle lanes are far more efficient.“From our point of view, it is a very bad idea. So, to reduce the bike lane on Commonwealth and to give more space to motorcycles will actually endanger this very significant group of vulnerable road users,” said Siy Jr. <div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/4/mmda-gears-up-for-rainy-season-meralco-says-make-safety-a-priority-1905">MMDA gears up for rainy season; Meralco says make safety a priority </a></div>“So, alam natin maraming mga mixed traffic lanes on Commonwealth. Even on some portions of Commonwealth, there are like nine lanes of mixed traffic in each direction. And in our view, okay, importante rin yung sector ng yung mga riders, mga motorsiklo. We need to give them more space, but that space should come from what we call yung mixed traffic lanes, yung lanes that are uh right now available to cars, uh motorcycles and other uh transportation on Commonwealth. Marami yun eh,” he added. The MMDA clarified that the shared lane proposal is still in the discussion stage. They plan to consult with Quezon City officials and the Department of Transportation before taking any further steps.

MMDA Chairman Atty. Romando Artes said the shared lane is among the options they are considering to ease congestion for motorcycle riders.

MMDA Chairman Atty. Romando Artes said the shared lane is among the options they are considering to ease congestion for motorcycle riders.

What cyclists, motorists say on MMDA’s proposed shared bike lane on Commonwealth Ave.

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What cyclists, motorists say on MMDA’s proposed shared bike lane on Commonwealth Ave.

Lyza Aquino,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 21, 2025 11:26 PM PHT

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