UPDA shares vision for Doha bike lanes
Originally published in Gulf Times on March 21, 2009
Qatar is going to be the first country in the GCC region to have dedicated cycle lanes.
A comprehensive study on the subject has just been approved by the Urban Planning and Development Authority (UPDA), which has published details of the plans in its latest in-house newsletter, Future.
“Qatar wants to become the first in the GCC to have a solid alternative transportation system, including cycle routes with amenities and pedestrian walkways,” the article, made available to Gulf Times, noted.
The aim is to encourage a culture of using bicycles for sports, health and other purposes. Envisioned to take its roots in 10- 20 years, the phased project will have various stages, including: * establishment of cycle circuits across Doha, * establishment of the infrastructure and development plan, * provision of necessary amenities to enable cyclists to reach major zones in Doha in comfort, * changes to existing Traffic Law to facilitate maximum safety, * launching awareness programmes targeted at the youth to use bicycles for commuting * and to provide necessary support to an innovative and sustainable transportation plan, in which walking to work and home becomes a possibility.
“The comprehensive plan will contribute to direct establishment of infrastructure and relevant plans and hopefully become the base to improve the transportation system in Qatar for the next 20 years,” the study hoped.
The project, which is expected to undergo some changes as feedback is received from various other government authorities such as Ashghal, goes beyond Doha and covers other populated areas, including Al Khor, Al Wakrah and most recreation centres. The study claims to have considered the design aspect of the lanes in great length so as to “encourage residents and visitors to use cycles for commuting and for recreation purposes”.
A long-standing demand of avid bicycle users in the country, the plan to construct bike lanes will revolutionise the way people move about in Doha where urban design thus far had been catering to “bigger and bigger vehicles”.
As Published
