MMDA: Expect heavier traffic this month
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has announced that vehicular traffic in the metropolis will get heavier because of road works starting this month.
“These projects will cause heavy traffic all-year-round, but we cannot compromise the safety of motorists. If there is an urgent need to do these road projects simultaneously, then we will give the necessary clearances,” Jose Arturo Garcia, MMDA general manager, said.
He said among these projects are North Luzon Expressway Drainage Enhancement Project along A. Bonifacio Road beginning July 1; construction of an elevated guide-way for the Metro Rail Transit 7 (MRT-7) along North Avenue beginning July 2; emergency leak repair on a large mainline along EDSA-Shaw Boulevard area starting July 7, and replacement of Buendia Bridge also beginning next month.
Starting July 15, all provincial buses are strictly prohibited from passing EDSA from Pasay City to Cubao in Quezon City, both northbound and southbound, from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m., and from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m., from Monday to Friday.
The move is in anticipation of the massive inconvenience that those projects would bring.
The Metro Manila Council (MMC) approved a resolution, regulating the operation of provincial buses along EDSA.
“All provincial buses from the north may traverse EDSA only until Cubao while provincial buses from the south can traverse only until Pasay during morning and afternoon till late evening rush hour during weekends,” the agency’s general manager said.
MMDA said the affected provincial bus terminals are exempted from the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program (UVVRP) or number-coding scheme. They are also allowed to use the MMDA-operated Southwest Interim Provincial Terminal (SWIPT) located in Pasay City. (Jel Santos)