Dry run of LRT-2 Masinag traffic plan set tomorrow

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and the Light Rail Transit Authority will conduct a dry run of their proposed traffic management plan on Saturday for the LRT-Line 2 Masinag extension project.

The project entails extending the LRT-2 line from the its current station in Santolan, Pasig City to Masinag area in Antipolo City.

The government said it targets to start construction on the project before the end of September.

"Mass transportation is a major solution to traffic, because it moves people more efficiently. The LRT-2 extension to Masinag is one of our many railway and bus modernization projects which are precisely designed to ease congestion in and around Metro Manila, so we are eager, and likewise it is imperative, to start works immediately," Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio "Jun" Abaya said.

The Land Transportation Office will deploy personnel to help enforce road discipline, such as proper loading and unloading at designated stops only during construction.

Three intersections—Felix Avenue Extension, Amang Rodriguez Intersection, and De La Paz Intersection—along Marcos Highway will be opened for motorists.

For each U-turn slot that is closed for construction works, another U-turn slot will be opened nearby, to ensure that traffic flow is not disrupted, the DOTC said.

Once construction is in full swing, the entire 3.9-kilometer stretch will have reduced lanes for traffic—the current five lanes per direction will be down to four lanes each, as the innermost lanes of both directions will be closed.

Under the traffic management plan, sections of the outermost lanes of each side will be used for loading and unloading bays for public utility vehicles.

The remaining three lanes will be used for regular traffic, with the innermost open lane for U-turning vehicles, and the next lane for fast vehicles.

For the dry run,  which will begin at 4 a.m. tomorrow, the Marcos Highway-Felix Avenue intersection will be opened to allow left turns for vehicles.

Flag men will be deployed and sign posts will be installed to assist motorists.

The DOTC said project will be operational in the third quarter of 2017 and is projected to cater to an additional 75,000 daily passengers, aiming to ease traffic in the area.