From Minneapolis to the Putrajaya Lake

By: Andy Lambert, Global Sales Manager

From the bush fire in Australia to the flooding in Venice, the impacts of the global climate crisis are being realized before our eyes. Great Thunberg’ s book uses the title “Our House Is on Fire” and this isn’t hyperbole, our planet is literally burning up (while glaciers melt) and we need to start acting like it. One way you can act is by choosing your bicycle for transportation any chance you get.

We at Saris Infrastructure look at the places we live and visit through the lens of bicycle infrastructure. Where are the bike lanes and are they designed to protect cyclists? Is there a network of these lanes and is that network connected? How easy is it to get around on a bicycle for everyone in the community? Do public stairways have ramps so I don’t have to carry my bike up and down them?

The need to reduce our carbon emissions is highlighting these questions in more people’s minds around the world. One example of a country taking action is the Green Technology Applications for the Development of Low Carbon Cities project (GTALCC). This is a collaboration between the Government of Malaysia, Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and funds are available for projects that help communities reduce their carbon emissions.

Our Bicycle Access Ramp was recently chosen by the Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA) of Putrajaya, Malaysia, for a project that is being funded by the GEF and UNDP. I interviewed the SEDA program manager, Salwa Samsudin, to learn more about this project.

What is the Green Technology Application for the Development of Low Carbon Cities project? What are some examples of other projects you are conducting with funding from this program?

• The Green Technology Application for the Development of Low Carbon Cities (GTALCC) project is a collaboration between the Government of Malaysia, Global Environment Facility (GEF) and United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

• With funding from GEF, GTALCC is supporting 5 cities in Malaysia through co-financing of studies, pilot projects, community programs, and relevant initiatives which are related to low carbon policy support, awareness and institutional capacity, and sustainable city solutions on low carbon transportation, waste management, and energy projects.

• The project is implemented by the Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change (MESTECC) with the Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA) Malaysia as its lead consultant.

Preparing ramps for their long journey ahead.

Assuming that you see bicycle transportation as a sustainable mode of transportation with myriad public, personal and communal benefits, is GTALCC doing anything else to promote cycling in Malaysia?

• Due to our tropical climate – hot, humid with regular rain in the evenings, cycling is a recreational activity rather than a way to commute to work or run errands.  A few cities in Malaysia are bicycle friendly with dedicated cycle lane and the GTALCC project is promoting for more cities to do so.

• GTALCC rolled out 12 electric bicycles to be used for local councils in 2 Cities (Putrajaya and Cyberjaya) as part of an office shared bike scheme. This "lead by example" program aims to reduce trips taken by cars and motorcycles for short distances or patrol duties; and to address the lack of bike-sharing services in the cities and under utilised bicycle lanes during weekdays.

• In Putrajaya, the federal administrative capital of Malaysia, the bicycle access ramps from Saris Infrastructure will be installed at the stairways of 2 bridges crossing the Putrajaya lake which will provide easy access for cyclist from the promenade and housing areas along the lake to Putrajaya Central Business District (CBD). This will hopefully encourage and facilitate more people to cycle to work from the residential areas and nearby Cyberjaya.

• GTALCC will also be carrying out a design study to propose a protected bicycle lane between Putrajaya Sentral (bus hub and train station) and the Central Business District (Precincts 2,3 &4) to address the last mile connectivity for commuters.

Carefully packing each ramp to ensure it arrives as it left.

Why did you select our Bicycle Access Ramp as the preferred product for this project?

• Bicycle ramps are uncommon in Malaysia and as a showcase to Malaysian cities on how simple solutions and infrastructure can encourage more cyclists in the city, the Bicycle Access Ramp from Saris Infrastructure was selected based on the design, safety, ease of installation and maintenance.

Next stop, Putrajaya Lake Bridge

We at Saris Infrastructure are grateful for the opportunity to design and manufacture bicycle infrastructure solutions to real world problems both big and small. Whether you need to adjust your brakes, securely park your bike or your community is looking for ways to cut carbon emissions, chances are good we have a solution that can work for you.