Yesterday I decided to pass by the bike lanes in the Iloilo City General Luna street area during the rush hours in the afternoon after our office in the City Hall. That is after my objective of dropping by the local game store to give the Magic: the Gathering foil promo packs won by the teammate which he sold to another local player.
From the Iloilo Terminal Market area, I went to Jalandoni Street then going to Gen. Luna street and found somewhat standstill traffic as a lot of vehicles were lining up on the intersection of these roads. I just then realized that the bridge going to Brgy. Nabitasan is under repair and is closed to traffic.
That was my intended route going to the Diversion road. I then saw that beside it is the connecting esplanade bike lanes and so after passing through a short stall of traffic, I got off my bike and carried it up the stairs into the oval area. It was quite satisfying to get out of that traffic and maybe people can notice the benefits of having the esplanade bike lanes there. Now I get to pass by that bike lane route going to the Diversion road and also I was able to check the connecting bike lane along the bridge and to observe the bike traffic on those hours.
I then pedaled through the main bike lane in Diversion Road wherein the plan was to go to Akamon Ramen Bar to try their new Curry Ramen. It was my cravings during these past weeks so that was the ideal time to go there. A few bikers were going home from work and also some joggers who are enjoying the afternoon exercising because of no rain. That was quite a break after almost a month of rainy afternoon weather.
Going back, I know that the SM Strata bike rack was placed on the second floor so I had to a short bike climb going there and I think that was impractical and unfriendly for the bikers as we are not using motorized vehicles that can easily climb up the ramp on to the 2nd-floor parking. There were a few bikes parked there when I arrived and I am sure they also faced the same problem. I have raised this concern to the Iloilo BIke City FB group and hopefully, some officials can take notice and do the necessary actions.
Anyhow, to wrap up the day, a bowl of Akamon’s Curry Ramen to satisfy and lived up to the expectations. This premium dish is priced for only P250 so grab one today. Akamon Ramen Bar is located on the ground floor of SM Strata and can be easily spotted from the bike lane.
Overall, these bike lanes are expected to garner more bike traffic in the coming months as the new normal lifestyle, and people appreciating the benefits of bicycles in their daily routines. Some parts of these lanes also need repairs and maintenance as I’ve noticed broken and disconnected bricks that may cause harm for bikers if they stepped into it. Also, the plants should be trimmed as some of their branches are already inside the lane and hinders the passageway.
I appreciate all of the continuous support of the local government and I do hope that more programs and projects will come to fruition so that Iloilo City can truly deserve its title of becoming the bike capital of the country.
*banner image from Iloilo Metropolitan Times
