DOTr Pledges to Expand Bike Lane Network Nationwide to 2,400km by 2028

MANILA: The Department of Transportation (DOTr) aims to have 2,400 kilometers of protected bike lanes in place by 2028.

There are currently 564 kilometers of this network in Metro Manila, Metro Cebu, and Metro Davao.

The announcement was made by the DOTr in celebration of Road Safety Month, seeking to promote road safety and increase public awareness of its impact on health and associated economic costs.

“As we rethink mobility and shift our focus on the most vulnerable road users, the call for responsibility and accountability on the road is further reiterated,” the DOTr stated.

“Everyone is also enjoined that all road users, particularly those who are most at risk, deserve uncompromised safety on the road,” the agency added.

The protected bike lanes are part of the DOTr's active transport program, one of the agency's flagship initiatives.

This complies with both the National Transport Policy and the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028.

Protected bike lanes were established at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, when there was limited mobility due to community quarantine restrictions.

During the pandemic, the bike lane network augmented public transportation and helped people go to work safely.

According to a 2020 survey from Social Weather Station and the Department of Health (DOH), 87% of Filipinos feel that roads in cities and towns will be better if public transportation, bicycles, and pedestrians are given priority over private vehicles.

Photo from Bikers United Marshalls Facebook page and I Love Taguig Facebook page

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