EDSA Bicycle Lanes Open Aug. 15-18 with Call for Volunteer Guards

Bike lanes on EDSA will open on Saturday and traffic authorities along with bicycle organizations are calling for volunteers to help man it.

The EDSA Bike Lane (Southbound), will be open from Aug. 15 to 18 (6 a.m. to 10 a.m.) 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 Friday.

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.