Zipper lane dry run today

MANILA, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will close two lanes on EDSA from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. today to give way to the dry run of the agency’s zipper or counterflow lane.

MMDA officer-in-charge Tim Orbos said that a two-hour dry run will be held for the opening of the 2.5-kilometer zipper lane from Main Avenue in Quezon City to Ortigas Flyover in Mandaluyong City to decongest EDSA.

Motorists who will be affected for the closure of the roads will be diverted to the right side service roads in the area at Santolan-EDSA and Ortigas-EDSA Flyover.

Orbos said the zipper lane, which will be open beginning Monday next week, could accommodate at least 2,400 southbound motorists, and would be made regular if it succeeds.

He added that the zipper lane would also decrease travel time by at least 20 minutes or half of the 40 minutes it takes to cover this section of EDSA due to the “bottleneck area of Santolan and Connecticut.”

Meanwhile, Orbos said the MMDA is studying opening another zipper lane for northbound motorists to address the evening rush.

He said they have already identified the roads, but are still studying the zipper lane’s possible effects on motorists.

In July 2015, the MMDA opened a zipper lane from SM Megamall to Boni Avenue in Mandaluyong City along EDSA’s southbound lane; from EDSA to Rockwell flyover; and from the Rockwell flyover to EDSA’s northbound lane.