‘Friday Bike Counts’ seeks to get data on biking community

Iloilo City initiated its first “Friday Bike Counts” last June 3, 2022 with the goal of gathering data on the local biking community.

The “Friday Bike Counts,” which is organized by biking advocates led by the iFold group together with the Iloilo City government, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and Mobility Awards, was launched last Friday in celebration of the World Bicycle Day.

Under the “Friday Bike Counts” initiative, volunteer groups, personnel of DPWH and Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO), were deployed in the different areas in the metro from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. and from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. to gather data on the biking community in the metro.

According to PSTMO head Jeck Conlu, the program aims to gather data which will be needed for the crafting of policies and regulation for the safety of the biking community in the metro.

“Ini siya gina-ubra naton para maka-gather kita data at the same time, policy regulations agod matagaan naton proteksyon kag mapasangkad aton bike lanes sa syudad,” he said in a media interview on Monday, June 6, 2022.

Conlu added that the data will be the basis for the crafting of additional bike lanes in the metro.

Last November 2021, Iloilo City was the recipient of the Gold Bicycle-Friendly Recognition during the national Mobility Awards.

The award aims to recognize acts of leadership by the local government in promoting cycling as a mode of daily commute among their constituents. (DG)