Ex-MMDA chair Bayani Fernando opposes bike lanes on EDSA

Former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chair and now Marikina City Representative Bayani Fernando on Tuesday opposed the proposal to install bike lanes on EDSA.

"Ang dami naman nating roads, bakit ba sa EDSA natin pinagpipilitan?" Fernando said during the virtual meeting of the House Committee on Metro Manila Development, pointing out that the highway is already congested enough.

Fernando shared his own experience with the construction of bike lanes while he was mayor of Marikina City.

He said that he built "the most expensive bicycle lanes in the country," but was left disappointed as no one actually used them.

"Yan din mangyari sa atin. Before even thinking of elevated bicycle lane on EDSA, naku huwag na," he said.

Fernando also said that Wuhan, China, a sister city of Marikina City and the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, also installed bike lanes.

But when he visited around 10 to 15 years ago, he also saw that no one was using the bike lanes.

"It should be an eye-opener for us. Baka mamaya, nagsi-stick tayo sa wish natin na bicycle but I think sa Wuhan, the answer to it that question, bakit nawala ang bicycle sa Wuhan? Because may public transport na sila," he said.

Many commuters have turned to bicycles to get around the metro in the absence of public transportation.

Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar earlier bared plans to put a dedicated bike lane on EDSA and other major thoroughfares in Metro Manila to allow for an alternative mode of transportation to commuters following the "new normal" environment post-COVID-19 crisis.

But Fernando suggested that the government focus instead on improving the public transportation system.

"Let’s improve on our public transport, focus on it. Bicycle lanes, they are free to use any road but huwag yung congested road natin and we don’t give them that privilege of riding on EDSA," he said.

"Let's be practical," he added. — BM, GMA News