For many, the elevated bicycle lane beneath the Airport Rail Link, proposed as an alternative for those commuting between eastern Bangkok and the heart of the city by a think tank agency under King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, is just another pie-in-the-sky plan.
The goal of the proposed bike lane, stretching over 20km from Lat Krabang areas to Phaya Thai is noble: to ease traffic congestion as Lat Krabang is densely populated.
A proposal by the institute's Smart City Innovative Research Academy (Scira), the project features a bicycle lane underneath the 28.6km Airport Rail Link (ARL). But the proposed route, also known as a "sky lane", will exclude Suvarnabhumi airport rail terminal.
Suchatvee Suwansawat, dean of King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, urged the government to consider the project which, if approved, will be the first of its kind. The dean said there was no estimate for the cost of the bike-lane project just yet but in a previous report, Scira quoted an approximate figure 1.8 billion baht.
Mr Suchatvee, who is also president of the Council of Engineers of Thailand, said the bike lane would be made of a strong but lightweight metal that could be attached to the Airport Rail Link's stanchions. The electric rail line above would serve as a roof, while exit and entrance ramps for cyclists would be installed at the Airport Rail Link's stations, namely Lat Krabang, Thap Chang, Phraram 9, Hua Mak, Ramkhamhaeng, Phetchaburi, Makkasan, Ratchaprarop and Phaya Thai.
The project, an adaptation of the Xiamen Bicycle Skyway in Fujian, which according to Scira is very successful and inspiring because it links five communities, is a welcome idea as it explores a solution to the city's traffic congestion that does not involve road expansion and construction. It is the biggest and most expensive bike lane project that has been proposed to the government.
There remain a few questions about the project, however.
In terms of technical feasibility, it's not clear if it's possible for the bike route to be constructed directly below the tracks of the ARL.
More importantly, Scira should be aware that one bike lane alone, however ideal the plan may look, is not enough to inspire people to turn to this green, carbon-free mode of transport. It's already apparent that there is no bike culture in Bangkok, or anywhere else in the country, in part due to the state never having wholeheartedly implemented or promoted standard cycling infrastructure to ensure safety and convenience.
City administrators, in particular, tend to regard cycling as a recreational activity, not a mode of transport. Therefore, most bike lane projects are developed in parks or enclosed areas, while existing bicycle lanes on the far left strips of the roads are encroached upon by motorists. Many have become roadside parking lots.
Even if Scira and Mr Suchatvee are able to convince the government to invest in the project, they must know that it will require a lot of work; in particular a network of connecting standard bicycle routes that allows residents to reach each station safely. There should also be a comparable set of bike lanes from the stations in the inner areas so that cyclists can complete their trips and reach their workplaces or destinations safely.
In addition to the proposed sky lane, there needs to be a comprehensive plan involving think tanks like Scira, as well as a policy commitment on the part of the government from the start to promote a biking culture across the whole of the country.