‘Kanang tugma pud sa sitwasyon sa atong kalsada’: AI-generated bike lane proposal in BanTal hit

Local

AN ARTIFICIAL intelligence (AI)-generated graphic showing Councilor Pastor “Jun” Alcover’s proposed motorcycle lane arrangement along the Banilad-Talamban corridor has drawn mixed reactions online.

Some residents are questioning whether the concept reflects the actual road conditions along Bantal.

Alcover shared the AI-generated illustration on Thursday, Aug. 27, as part of the ongoing public consultation on the city’s Oplan Bantal traffic management scheme.

He stressed that the graphic does not represent the final proposal, saying it was generated only to give the public an idea of what a possible motorcycle-lane arrangement could look like.

“That's what AI says... just to give an idea,” Alcover said in his post. He added that the actual proposal would consider “many more factors.”

He also asked residents to provide their views, particularly those who regularly use the road, saying their inputs could help the city assess whether the proposed arrangement would work.

Alcover said he was not presenting himself as a traffic expert but wanted to contribute to efforts to address the traffic situation.

The councilor’s concept stems from discussions during the Cebu City Council executive session on Aug. 25, where he proposed placing dedicated motorcycle lanes at the center of the road instead of along the sides.

Alcover said placing motorcycle lanes on the outer portions of Bantal could expose them to conflicts with four-wheel vehicles that park or stop along the roadside, including public utility jeepneys loading and unloading passengers.

Under his proposal, motorcycles traveling northbound and southbound would have their respective dedicated lanes in the middle of the roadway.

He argued that the arrangement could allow motorcycles to move continuously while keeping jeepneys on the side of the road for passenger loading and unloading.

Alcover also said the setup could encourage motorcycles to maintain safer speeds because they would remain visible to motorists in adjacent lanes.

The proposal, however, quickly drew questions from some netizens, particularly over whether the AI-generated illustration accurately represented Bantal’s existing road configuration.

Paul Gotiong questioned the basis for prioritizing motorcycles and raised concerns over safety, enforcement and available road space.

He asked the city to determine the actual volume of motorcycles, cars and public utility vehicles using the road before deciding on the proposed lane arrangement.

Gotiong also questioned whether placing motorcycles in a dedicated lane could increase safety risks, particularly when vehicles need to turn left or right.

He further asked about the results of previous Cebu City Transportation Office enforcement efforts requiring public utility vehicles to load and unload passengers only in designated areas.

Another concern he raised was road capacity. He noted that Bantal is already a four-lane road and that adding exclusive lanes could limit the movement of other vehicles.

Another commenter directly questioned the AI-generated illustration, pointing out that the road configuration shown did not appear to match the actual conditions along Bantal.

“Kasabot me unsay proposal, kung magbuhat man gani kag proposal kanang tugma pud sa sitwasyon sa atong kalsada,” the commenter said, questioning why the illustration appeared to show five lanes when the actual road has fewer lanes.

Jenil Ando, meanwhile, suggested removing the motorcycle lane and returning to stricter enforcement against counterflowing and left-side driving.

Ando also questioned the need for motorcycle lane arrangements, saying lane splitting remained a major issue along the road.

Alcover’s post comes as the city continues to examine traffic-management measures for the Banilad-Talamban area, where congestion remains a persistent concern.

The discussion also follows other proposals raised during recent executive sessions, including measures to give motorcycles greater mobility through traffic queues and intersections.

Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña previously suggested studying a system that would allow motorcycles to move ahead of cars at signalized intersections, arguing that motorcycles occupy less road space than private vehicles.

Osmeña also floated a possible 30-minute rush-hour restriction on private vehicles along selected roads to give public transportation greater priority during peak periods.

Both proposals remain subject to further study and public consultation.

The councilor’s call for public input focuses on whether the proposed motorcycle lanes can be reconciled with Bantal’s actual road width, vehicle volume, turning movements, loading and unloading practices, and enforcement capacity.

No implementation schedule for Alcover’s proposed motorcycle-lane arrangement has been announced.(TGP)