MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) yesterday urged motorists to practice driving through alternative routes before the Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge, also known as the Rockwell Bridge, is closed for replacement.
Bong Nebrija, EDSA traffic czar, said the alternate routes for motorists who will be affected by the closure were already put in place.
Rockwell Bridge will be closed to the public for more than two years starting tomorrow morning.
“Motorists need to do this so they can get the timing right when they go to work and when they go home,” Nebrija said in Filipino.
A day before the bridge’s closure, Nebrija said motorists will experience heavy traffic along EDSA in Guadalupe, Makati City to Boni Avenue in Mandaluyong City, especially during the morning and afternoon rush hours.
Nebrija said EDSA has been considered as one of the alternate routes for motorists who will be affected by the closure of the Rockwell Bridge along with several other secondary or inner routes.
All motorists coming from the Mandaluyong, San Juan and Quezon City using the Sgt. Bumatay and Barangka Drives should turn right at Pantaleon, proceed to Conrado then take the Makati-Mandaluyong Bridge to their destination.
Motorists from Maysilo and San Francisco should go straight ahead to Conrado and Makati-Mandaluyong Bridge to their destination while those from Mandaluyong going to the Makati business center should take EDSA, Guadalupe Cloverleaf to J.P. Rizal Avenue Extension and turn left to Estrella to destination.
Motorists leaving Tivoli Garden Residences should use the back gate at the Private Road along Sen. N. Gonzales Road while those from Makati Avenue should take P. Burgos, go straight to Makati-Mandaluyong Bridge then take Conrado, San Francisco and mabuhay lane to destination.
Private vehicles from Rockwell should take Estrella then turn right on Gumamela street, left on Camia street to J.P. Rizal to destination while jeepneys are diverted at the Private Road along Sen. N. Gonzales Road and vice versa.