Urban planning review for Makati ongoing with focus on road safety

Bike lanes in Makati City | PHOTO: Make It Makati official facebook page

Makati now has 4 kilometers of bicycle lane but the campaign to make the city safer for cyclists is continuing, according to a major developer that is coordinating efforts with a cyclists’ group.

In a statement, Ayala Land said while the width of protected bike lanes in Makati has been reduced to 1.5 meters, a more expansive campaign is ongoing to better protect cyclists, commuters and motorists.

Given the recent increase in motor vehicle volume and a return of traffic to pre-pandemic levels, Ayala Land opted to reduce the protected bike lane to 1.5 meters.

This decision was met with concern from a cyclist coalition, “Make it Safer Makati,” citing challenges to the biking environment on Ayala Avenue.

The company formed a technical working group with Make it Safer Makati to further enhance safety and inclusive access not only for cyclists but pedestrians, commuters and motorists, too.

The safety measures that are already in place are being complemented by more ballards and signages which were among the recommendations of Make it Safer Makati.

Enforcement by the Makati Parking Authority for bike lane violators will be tightened, the statement said.

The financial district’s main thoroughfare, Ayala Avenue, has a 12-meter-wide carriageway per direction divided into four lanes.

This thoroughfare is host to over 600,000 bus and jeepney commuters, motorcycle riders, and private car owners, as well as 2,600 bikers daily.

The decision to dedicate a 1.5-meter protected lane was made in the interest of managing inclusivity across all commuters — most especially buses and jeepneys as public transport.

Ayala Land said it remains true to its commitment of building inclusive and safe communities.

A transport infrastructure study is ongoing to complement an urban plan review of the Makati Central Business District.

“We seek the patience of the public as we continue to make Makati CBD a better place to live and work for all,” Ayala Land said.