MMDA: Proposed EDSA traffic scheme ‘unrealistic’

MANILA, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) yesterday shot down the proposal of Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) board member Ariel Inton to ban private vehicles on EDSA during the weekday morning rush and give more road space for public transport vehicles.

Inton proposed that a private vehicle will not be allowed on EDSA from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. four days a week, but allowed to pass through other roads.

All vehicles will be allowed along EDSA and other roads from 9 a.m. onwards, he said. 

MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino said Inton’s proposal needs further study as it is deemed “unrealistic” to implement, considering the current situation along the 23.8-kilometer highway that serves as Metro Manila’s major connecting artery from Caloocan City to Pasay City.

“The reason people use private vehicles is because our mass transport system is not effective. Mass transit is part of the solution, as well as the Civil Service Commission’s four-day workweek, and alternative forms of transport like the Pasig River ferry service,” he said.

Tolentino said only about 7,000 public buses and the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) are the public transport modes available to most commuters on EDSA.

He said that based on MMDA records, there are more people riding in private vehicles traversing EDSA, even on weekends.

The MMDA estimates that there are about 241,772 private vehicles on EDSA during Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. On Fridays, the MMDA estimates at least 327,000 vehicles on EDSA’s northbound (going to Quezon City) lane with about 121,000 private vehicles cruising EDSA’s northbound lane on Saturdays.

On the other hand, there are only 7,447 buses plying the same lane on those days, the MMDA said.

Tolentino said the passengers of private vehicles barred from EDSA during the morning weekday rush hours would not be accommodated by public buses.

“The 121,000 passengers would not fit in 7,000 buses,” he said.

Tolentino said vehicular traffic on EDSA is well beyond the highway’s capacity during the rush hours, but from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., the highway is relatively free.

He said that until an effective mass transport system is implemented on EDSA, private motorists could not be swayed from using their vehicles.