Part of the road along Jalan Metro Perdana Timur 11 in Taman Usahawan had already been dug for the construction of a bicycle lane.
KUALA Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) will move the proposed bicycle lane in Taman Usahawan, Kepong, to the existing pedestrian walkway.
Initially, the 6km bicycle lane project was located along Jalan Metro Perdana Timur 11 and had taken up parking lots that were meant for businesses in the commercial area.
Following complaints from the premises and business owners, DBKL decided to move the bicycle lane to the walkway – which will be upgraded – next to the road.
Previously, StarMetro reported that Taman Usahawan stakeholders were upset that the proposed bicycle lane project would change the existing parallel parking bays to perpendicular bays, thereby reducing the number of parking spaces in the area.
A DBKL officer visited the site on Dec 20 last year after receiving complaints from stakeholders.
However, construction of the bicycle lane had already started on one side of the road.
Kepong Community Service Centre head Yee Poh Ping thanked DBKL for their engagement with the people.
“DBKL said that it would also upgrade the existing pedestrian walkway, which is located next to the parking lots, and incorporate the bicycle lane.
“Additional street lamps will be installed too,” he said.
However, he felt that the bicycle lane might not be fully utilised as not many people cycled around the area.
“I will request that DBKL expedite the project and repave the road for vehicles to park,” Yee told reporters at the site.
According to a letter from DBKL’s Urban Transportation Department dated Dec 27 last year, the bicycle lane project in Kuala Lumpur is in line with Kuala Lumpur Local Plan 2040 as part of the Sustainable City Programme initiative.
“The First Phase Bicycle Lane (Green and Blue Connectivity), will pass through Jalan 1/1A, Kampung Melayu Kepong, Jalan Metro Perdana Barat, Jalan 15/34C and Jalan Besar Kepong as well as a new road connecting the Middle Ring Road 2 and Taman Tasik Metropolitan.
“After meeting with the representatives of the premises’ owners, the department had decided to maintain the parking lots in the area,” said the letter.
Vehicle air-conditioning workshop owner Chew Chin Seng, 57, lauded DBKL for retaining the existing number of parking bays in the area following complaints.
“The parking bays in the area are always filled up and DBKL should not reduce them to make way for a bicycle lane.
“We are happy that DBKL accepted our feedback and acted accordingly. However, most of the owners here are skeptical whether the bicycle lane will be utilised as people rarely cycle around this commercial area.
“There are also bicycle lanes in Taman Tasik Metropolitan, so cyclists prefer to cycle there,” he said.
