Bicycle Lanes Design for Road User Safety
Civil Engineering Department
Adamson University
900 San Marcelino St, Ermita, Manila City
PHILIPPINES
Abstract: - This study addresses the use of non-motorized transportation. The global benefits of the bike
paths, bike lanes, and other types of bicycle-specific infrastructure consist of a reduction in traffic
congestion and a decrease in emissions of greenhouse gasses and other pollutants that commuters face
today. Additional indirect benefits, of no less value, demonstrate the benefits and viability of bicycles
and non-motorized transport. The aim of this study is to design a bicycle lane north–south road from
Commerce Avenue in Metro Manila and determine the characteristics of the bikers in the area and to
analyze the treats affecting bicycle riders using descriptive survey. The results of the data analysis show
that familiarization of paths & facilities in north-south road was the main treats leading for a protected
bike lane. A bicycle safety programs for ecotourism was recommended from the results of data analysis
and through purposive sampling, a group of transportation engineers validated the bicycle program as
well as the bikeway program.
Key-Words: - Bike, Cycling, Ecotourism, Non-motorized transportation, Transportation engineering
Received: August 9, 2023. Revised: April 19, 2023. Accepted: June 9, 2024. Published: July 18, 2024.
1 Introduction
Since last year's lockdown limited access to public
transportation, more and more people have been
switching to biking as an alternative to get around the
city. And in response, the government has been
adding new bike lanes all over the metropolis.
According to The Department of Transportation
(2021), has opened the P801.83-million bicycle lane
network in Metro Manila, the last portion of the 497-
kilometer nationwide bike lane network constructed
together with the Department of Public Works and
Highways [1,6]. The Metro Manila bike lane network
has a length of 313 km, stretching across nine major
road sections and 12 cities. With the completion of
the bike lanes, cyclists are provided with safe spaces
on the road as they pedal to work and to other places.
According to Tugade [1,9], the 129-km Metro Cebu
bike lanes were inaugurated by the DOTr and DPWH
last July 16 while the 54.71-km Metro Davao bike
lanes were officially opened on July 20 [1,10]. The
development of bike lanes in metropolitan cities aims
to increase accessibility to key activity areas and
fundamental facilities, significantly lessen carbon
emission and promote road safety. The promotion of
active transportation was strengthened by the
declaration of the bicycle as an additional mode of
transportation and the provision of funding to support
the establishment of bike lane networks.
According to DPWH [11,12], the agency opens its
first protected bike lane along Laguna Lake highway
in Bicutan, Taguig City. The 5.8 kilometers long and
three-meter-wide bike lane was officially opened on
February 7, 2019. Formerly known as the C6 Dike
Road, the Laguna Lake Highway, which was
completed last November 2018, was a 1.28 billion
Peso project that serves as an alternative route to the
traffic-packed EDSA and C5-road [2,13]. Aside from
the bicycle lane, the highway also features provisions
for streetlights and road safety signages. There's also
a 1.5-meter-wide sidewalk on both sides, as well as
an elevated dike to protect pedestrians against
flooding (DPWH, 2019). The MMDA) recorded
3,026 incidents (36 of which were fatal) involving
bicycles, e-bikes, and pedicabs [3,6,14]. This
TOMAS U. GANIRON JR, BERNNA MAE A. ECIJA, SEAN LEWIS F. QUISAO,
HENRY LEAN E. ROMERO
DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE
DOI: 10.37394/232022.2024.4.6
Tomas U. Ganiron Jr, Bernna Mae A. Ecija,
Sean Lewis F. Quisao, Henry Lean E. Romero
E-ISSN: 2732-9984
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Volume 4, 2024
accounts for 2.4% of the total number of incidents for
the entire 2020 and significantly from just 1,783
bicycle- and pedicab-related incidents 20 fatal from
2019 [6].The metro is downright un-walkable and un-
bikeable in its current state, and the MMARAS
numbers from last year are proof. If the end-users
want to make the city safer FOR drivers, riders,
cyclists, pedestrians, and the government should do
their part. There are 26 bike riders were killed in
Alabang because of road crashes, and 962 people
were also injured in bike-related mishaps [4,15].
It is high time to evaluate the impact of
transportation infrastructure on bicycle accidents in
Commerce Avenue to analyze the factors involved in
bike-related accidents to be able to create a bicycle
safety program and design a road plan for bicycle
lane. It is believed that further research will surely
provide bicycle safety program that apply to bicycle
related accidents in Commerce Avenue in Metro
Manila
2 Problem Formulation
During the pandemic, more people have turned to
alternate modes of transportation, such as bicycles,
especially during the first few months of quarantine,
when public transportation was scarcer than it is now
[5]. With that in consideration, it's obvious to see
how, as more cyclists take to the road, the number of
bike-related incidents would inevitably rise. In fact,
the overall number of bicycle accidents increased to
2,606 for the year 2020, up from 1,759 the year
before and this was the first time that the number of
bicycle accidents exceeded 2,000 since the MMDA
began recording statistics in 2009, when it was 1,111
[6,17].
Accordingly, this study proposes to discuss the
characteristics of bicycle accidents and issues in
Commerce Avenue in Metro Manila, where there is a
high daily volume of vehicles and yet bike lanes are
not implemented [7]. This will determine the factors
involved in bike-related accidents in Commerce
Avenue through a descriptive survey on bicycle users
in the area including the effect of multi-lane roadway
on bicycles when a separated cycle track is included
in the design through simulation and provide safety
guidelines for bicycle commuters in Commerce
Avenue [8,18].
3 Results & Discussion
Two survey questionnaires were disseminated to
obtain the data needed to propose a bicycle lane in
Commerce Avenue. The first survey was intended for
bike users in Commerce Avenue and the second
survey was distributed to transportation experts to
gain their insights in designing a bicycle lane in a
certain area. The number of respondents for the study
was determined using purposive and convenience
sampling in the chosen area of study. In the first
survey, a total of one hundred one respondents
answered the questionnaire survey on bike users in
Commerce Avenue The data from one hundred one
(101) sampled surveys were tallied and tabulated to
show the approval of a bicycle lane in Commerce
Avenue. The questionnaire was divided into three
parts namely the: a.) social demographic
characteristics of the respondents; b.) The surveys
were disseminated online through google forms and
were interpreted using Microsoft Excel.
3.1 Reasons for biking in Commerce Avenue
Table 1 shows the respondents’ reasons for biking in
Commerce Avenue. Based on their responses, about
twenty-seven-point seventy two percent (27.72%) of
the respondents answered for fitness, for nature and
for leisure. Thirteen-point eighty six percent (13.8%)
answered for fitness, for transportation and for
leisure. Nine-point-ninety percent (9.90%) answered
for transportation, fitness, leisure. While other
respondents answered for their own purposes like for
racing and long rides, for delivery.
Table 1. Reasons for biking in Commerce Avenue
Reasons for
biking
Respondents
Percentage
(%)
All of the
selections
2
1.98%
Doesn’t ride.
1
0.99%
For fitness
14
13.86%
For fitness,
Delivery
1
0.99%
For fitness,
For leisure
6
5.94%
For fitness,
For nature
3
2.97%
For fitness, For
nature, For
leisure
28
27.72%
For fitness, For
nature, Fun
1
0.99%
For leisure
6
5.94%
For nature
3
2.97%
For nature, For
leisure
2
1.98%
For nature, For
leisure, For my
dad
1
0.99%
For
transportation
3
2.97%
DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE
DOI: 10.37394/232022.2024.4.6
Tomas U. Ganiron Jr, Bernna Mae A. Ecija,
Sean Lewis F. Quisao, Henry Lean E. Romero
E-ISSN: 2732-9984
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Volume 4, 2024
1
0.99%
10
9.90%
14
13.86%
2
1.98%
2
1.98%
1
0.99%
101
100.00%
3.2 Average Distance Travelled on Bicycling
Trip
Table 1 shows the respondents’ reasons for biking in
Commerce Avenue. Based on their responses, about
twenty-seven-point seventy two percent (27.72%) of
the respondents answered for fitness, for nature and
for leisure. Thirteen-point eighty six percent (13.8%)
answered for fitness, for transportation and for
leisure. Nine-point-ninety percent (9.90%) answered
for transportation, fitness, leisure. While other
respondents answered for their own purposes like for
racing and long rides, for delivery.
Figure 1. Average Distance Travelled on Bicycling
Trip
Figure 1 shows the respondents’ average distance
travelled on bicycling trip. Three percent (3%) of
the respondents can travel one mile or less (six
minutes or less), four percent (4%) can travel two to
five miles (twelve to thirty minutes), ten percent
(10%) can travel five to ten miles (thirty minutes to
one hour) and sixty-two (62%) can travel ten miles
or more (one hour or longer), respectively.
3.3 Injury or disability that may impact
bicycling
Figure 2 showed that ninety seven percent (97%)
of the respondents have no injury or disability
that may impact their bicycling activities. On the
other hand, three percent (3%) answered yes
which were specified in the answered forms
namely nearsightedness and back pain.
Figure 2. Injury or Disability that may impact
Bicycling
3.4 Average Distance Travelled on Bicycling
Trip
Figure 3 shows the respondents’ frequency of using
bicycle as their mode of transportation. According to
the graph, the highest used of mode of transportation
is categorized for entertainment and for exercise.
DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE
DOI: 10.37394/232022.2024.4.6
Tomas U. Ganiron Jr, Bernna Mae A. Ecija,
Sean Lewis F. Quisao, Henry Lean E. Romero
E-ISSN: 2732-9984
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Volume 4, 2024
Figure 3. Frequency of Using Bicycle as Mode of
Transportation
Table 1 shows the respondents’ reasons for biking in
Commerce Avenue. Based on their responses, about
twenty-seven-point seventy two percent (27.72%) of
the respondents answered for fitness, for nature and
for leisure. Thirteen-point eighty six percent (13.8%)
answered for fitness, for transportation and for
leisure. Nine-point-ninety percent (9.90%) answered
for transportation, fitness, leisure. While other
respondents answered for their own purposes like for
racing and long rides, for delivery.
4 Findings
Based on the data obtained, the researchers were able
to determine the barriers that bike users experience
while biking in Commerce Avenue. These responses
will be made significant in designing the road design
and bicycle safety program development in
Commerce Avenue.
4.1 Transportation Expert Survey
To obtain the needed guidelines for bicycle safety
program, the researcher conducted a survey intended
for engineers who are working in the field of
transportation. The respondents were selected
through convenience sampling and majority of them
work in the Department of Public Works and
Highways. The questions aimed to tackle their work
experience particularly their history in handling
projects related to bicycle lanes. Moreover, the
questionnaire was divided into two significant parts
consisting of open-ended questions. The first part
includes the Respondents’ Background on Road
Safety Program, and the second part discusses the
Respondents’ Background on Bicycle Safety
Program.
Based on their collective responses, the
researchers found that all of them worked in a
company that has a safety management plan. All of
them worked in slope protection which means
measures installed on the slopes or pertinent
surrounding areas of the CCR unit that protect the
slope against wave action, erosion, or adverse. effects
of rapid drawdown. One of the significant findings
include the considerations to be made in designing a
bicycle lane. It was discussed that Average Daily
Traffic (ADT) must be considered. This will be
considered useful in line segmentation for the bicycle
lane implementation as this will improve traffic flow
on urban streets.
Additionally, they also included the barriers
encountered in road safety management. This
includes landslides and weather changes. To monitor
their safety plans, a weekly inspection is a must [18].
According to Francisco (2016), urban planners and
transport experts also have lamented on the
dependency of the people on public transportation
since less than two percent of the Filipinos have their
own cars [19,20]. This challenges the government
agencies to prioritize opening pavements for
transportation infrastructures that will promote
cycling and walking for its numerous advantages.
The researchers interviewed engineers from the
Department of Public Works and Highways and it
showed how important it is for government agencies
to be involved in projects such as this. The
Philippines’ national strategy in improving
transportation issues has opted the Department of
Transportation and Communications (DOTC) to
layout plans in promoting alternative mobility
options and cleaner transport through alternative
fuels and green vehicles.
These agencies however cannot work alone but it
can set guidelines for the creation of bike lanes. The
LGUs also play an important role in implementing
those innovations and plans by drilling down to the
specifics from providing the actual road
infrastructure, making sure that these lanes are kept
for the exclusive use of pedestrians and cyclists.
4.2 Bicycle Safety Program
The significant information gathered from the
related literatures on successful bicycle lanes both in
local and foreign countries including the data from
the respondents had led the researchers to come up
with a road design proposal in Commerce Avenue.
DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE
DOI: 10.37394/232022.2024.4.6
Tomas U. Ganiron Jr, Bernna Mae A. Ecija,
Sean Lewis F. Quisao, Henry Lean E. Romero
E-ISSN: 2732-9984
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Figure 4. Commerce Avenue.
This will be made useful by pedestrians and
cyclists in the said area considering their
commentaries in the surveys they answered.
.
Figure 5. Protected Bicycle Lane General Design
Proposal
This also includes the standards guided by the
Department of Public Works and Highways
(DPWH). The sequence of images shows the
comparison of pictures of the road path in Commerce
Avenue followed by the figures shown that were
designed by the researchers and were drawn using
AutoDESK Revit2020.
In figure 5,the design features as follows: Design
Features: a). One-directional separated bicycle lane.
b).Preferred width is 2.44m and absolute minimum
width of 1.22m following the DPWH established
standards and c). Curb protected bicycle lane.
Figure 6. Protected Bicycle Lane Design for T-
intersection Areas Proposal
In figure 6, the design features as follows: a).
Designated shared Bicycle Crossing Lane for the
bicycle users who wish to make a U-Turn and b).
Installment of stop lights to provide safety crossing
for the road users and for orderly traffic flow.
Figure 7. Protected Bicycle Lane Design for
Intersection Area Proposal
In figure 7, the design features as follows:
a).Provided Bicycle Stop box or Red light Box for
those bicycle users who wish to make a left turn and
exit Commerce Avenue. b).Provided Bicycle
Crossing Lane. and c).Implementation of Stop light
for coordinated traffic flow.
5 Conclusion
The study concludes that Commerce Avenue is a
well-used route for biker users from Las Piñas,
Alabang, Muntinlupa and Cavite and users are
DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE
DOI: 10.37394/232022.2024.4.6
Tomas U. Ganiron Jr, Bernna Mae A. Ecija,
Sean Lewis F. Quisao, Henry Lean E. Romero
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looking forward for a bicycle lane in the area.
Although men are the dominant bike users in
Commerce Avenue., using the comment section
of the questionnaire, users still wish to have a
protected bicycle lane in the area considering the
Female Bi molestations cases in the area and for
all the bike users to be protected from fast cars
and cars that drives too close to them.
The study also revealed that Commerce
Avenue is being used by the bicycle users all day
and night just like the automobile users who use
the road 24/7 that makes the Personal Safety,
Hazardous Conditions such as Darkness and
Uneven surfaces, and Difficulties in intersection
& Traffic Patterns reasonable for being the top 3
Barriers in Bicycling in Commerce Avenue but
despite the three mentioned barriers, Commerce
Avenue. remains to have a good environment for
bicycling.
Most of the engineers that answered the
questions were aged 21 – 26 and are a public or
civil workers. The researchers concluded that
the common barriers being encountered when
achieving bicycle lane projects are the
availability of the lane in the area and the budget
provided for the project. However, it was also
said that the bicycle lane projects on the public
road are funded by the government.
The researchers also concluded that for a
bicycle project lane to be considered safe,
standards and protocols established by the
DPWH should be strictly abided when
implementing the project.
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Contribution of Individual Authors to the
Creation of a Scientific Article (Ghostwriting
Policy)
The authors equally contributed in the present
research, at all stages from the formulation of the
problem to the final findings and solution.
Sources of Funding for Research Presented in a
Scientific Article or Scientific Article Itself
No funding was received for conducting this study.
Conflict of Interest
The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare
that are relevant to the content of this article.
Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0
(Attribution 4.0 International, CC BY 4.0)
This article is published under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0
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