Viral road rage incidents became rampant recently. But the Quezon City government has innovated a way to protect cyclists by using plant boxes to separate the bike lanes from the major roads.
This has received praises from netizens who have long been calling for bike-friendly strategies in the metro.
To tell us more about this initiative, is QCDPOS Green Transport Division Planning Team Executive Officer Aiah Mae Giba.
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This has received praises from netizens who have long been calling for bike-friendly strategies in the metro.
To tell us more about this initiative, is QCDPOS Green Transport Division Planning Team Executive Officer Aiah Mae Giba.
Visit our website for more #NewsYouCanTrust: https://www.cnnphilippines.com/
Follow our social media pages:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CNNPhilippines
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cnnphilippines/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/cnnphilippines
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NewsTranscript
00:00 And here's one for the road.
00:05 Viral road rage incidents became rampant recently, but the Kaesong City Government has innovated
00:10 a way to protect cyclists, by using plant boxes to separate the bike lanes from the
00:16 major roads.
00:17 This has received praises from netizens who have long been calling for bike-friendly strategies
00:22 in the metro.
00:24 To tell us more about this initiative, we have here QCDPOS Green Transport Division
00:29 Planning Team Executive Officer, Aya May Hiba.
00:33 Good afternoon ma'am, welcome to Traffic Center.
00:35 Thank you for having me.
00:36 So congratulations on this initiative.
00:38 First and foremost, what made your team and the QCLGU decide to put plant boxes as barriers
00:44 for bike lanes?
00:45 You know, the idea of integrating plant boxes into assignment barriers was driven by the
00:51 need to protect our cyclists.
00:54 So that was the main goal of Kaesong City LGU, and at the same time, the aesthetics
00:59 of our city roads.
01:01 You know, to provide a greener environment for the residents, and also to promote sustainability,
01:08 and to mitigate pollution.
01:14 In addition to this, it's more durable, cheaper, safer, and at the same time, it's meant to
01:20 shatter and absorb an impact on wayward for four or two-wheeled vehicles.
01:25 Okay, so it's very functional.
01:27 Yeah, yeah.
01:28 So the role of the Kaesong City is to protect our dear cyclists.
01:32 Okay, so where can we find these plant boxes, and what routes are they installed?
01:36 We have at Commonwealth Avenue, Catepulan Avenue, and then on Quezon Avenue.
01:44 So on three roads so far.
01:45 Yes, yes, yes.
01:46 Do you plan on putting more eventually?
01:47 Of course, if feasible.
01:48 Okay.
01:49 So netizens have been praising this initiative, but some are concerned about the sustainability
01:55 of this project.
01:57 What kind of plants are you using, and what are you doing to ensure its sustainability?
02:02 Some plants need more sunlight, some plants need water, so how are you managing that?
02:06 Actually, we've put three kinds of plants on it.
02:10 The one is the guambilla.
02:12 It's a family of bugambilla with no thorns, and not grow as widely as its counterpart.
02:19 And at the same time, the sun drop, it's good for absorbing pollutants, and at the same
02:27 time, a good receiving of sunlight.
02:31 And the other one is the yellow tapbalete.
02:33 It's a more resilient kind of plant, it's also tolerant near roadways.
02:37 So overall, these plants are low-maintenance plants, and they survive on roadways.
02:43 And I assume you studied which plants would work best for these plant boxes.
02:48 Yes, of course.
02:49 Okay, so should other LGUs wish to adapt this initiative, what advice would you give to
02:54 them, and how much will it cost for them?
02:57 If other LGUs are planning to do the same or similar plant boxes, my personal advice
03:03 would be to thoroughly study the locations, the maintenance, the selection of plants,
03:10 and of course, the budget.
03:12 And when it comes to estimation cost, it varies, or it ranges from 6,000 to 7,000 each plant
03:20 boxes, enough for it to be sustainable.
03:26 And the only problem here is the maintenance.
03:30 But on our end, as an end-user, the Department of Public Order and Safety Green Transport
03:35 Division, through our bike patrols, we maintain or take care of our plant boxes on a daily
03:42 basis.
03:43 That's the only problem we have.
03:47 Of course, the maintenance.
03:48 So you intend for these plant boxes to last for years?
03:51 Yes, of course.
03:52 Okay.
03:53 So apart from this initiative, what other initiatives does the QCLGU have that are green
03:58 projects?
03:59 Of course, our first one is our bike lane network.
04:02 Because alongside the bike lane network is the active transport infrastructure, the plant
04:08 boxes, and at the same time, the development in our sidewalks, the pedestrianization, and
04:14 the corridor networks.
04:15 So this year, we hope to target, not all, not all roads are feasible, because some are
04:24 small, some are wide.
04:26 I hope all that are added to our QC bike lane network will be planted plant boxes.
04:32 So hopefully, cyclists can rest at ease now.
04:35 I'm sure they get worried when they drive, when they take their bikes out on the road.
04:41 Before we go, another concern of netizens is that these protected bike lanes become
04:45 a terminal hub for tricycles and riders at night.
04:48 And this specifically happens in UP town.
04:51 What do you have to say about this, and what are we doing to address it?
04:54 Yes, that's true.
04:56 We've received a lot of complaints regarding that.
05:03 Our monitoring and operation team is very engaged and is very hands-on to monitor.
05:07 We always have an operation.
05:09 Sometimes, when a citizen calls, we go there immediately.
05:15 And we do the daily operation, specifically at the place you mentioned, UP town.
05:22 We apprehend those who are obstructing our bike lane.
05:27 The measures taken here are the daily operations only.
05:31 We don't finish there.
05:33 We always do that because that's the job of the Department of Public Order and Safety,
05:38 to apprehend those who are in our bike lane.
05:41 Okay, that's good to know.
05:43 Thank you, QC Green Transport Division Planning Team Executive Officer Aya May Hiba.