Chiang Mai to build 4 major bike lanes

CHIANG MAI Provincial Authority will spend Bt40 million building four bike lanes across the city to cater for the cycling boom there.

Chiang Mai residents and tourists will soon be able to enjoy the first bike lane, a 5km route between Chiang Mai International Convention and Exhibition Centre and the Huai Tueng Thao reservoir, which is slated to open in April.

The move to the build the lanes is a bid to boost residents’ health, as per government policy. 

There are more than 70 bicycle clubs in Chiang Mai province and the number of cyclists has shot up over the past few years.

The lanes include a 13.5km route around the canal inside the city that will cost Bt20 million; a 9.7km route to the ancient city of Wiang Kum Kam in Saraphi district (Bt3.7 million); and a 18km link from Royal Flora Ratchapruek Park to the Doi Kham pagoda and Night Safari (Bt7.4 |million).

When they are finished people will be able to travel by bicycle to several areas across the city, Chiang Mai Governor Suriya Prasartbandit said.

After meeting local officials, Interior Ministry permanent secretary Wiboon Sanguanpong said he wanted the local authority to speed up work so people can use the lanes as soon as possible.The president of the Chiang Mai-based Sunday Bike Club, Boonchin Sawamoon, expressed support for project, saying the lanes will promote a healthy lifestyle while being kind to the environment.

“I hope these bike lanes will be a good standard and really usable,” he said.

The president of Chiang Maibased Sunday Bike Club, Boonchin Sawamoon, expressed support for the bikelane construction. He pointed out that these lanes would be good not just to health but also the environment.

“I hope these bike lanes will be of good standard and really usable,” he said.

Boonchin, so far, emphasised that when a huge budget was involved, relevant authorities and the people’s sector should be informed of the budget allocation too.