MMDA claims better EDSA traffic flow after Rockwell Bridge closure

MANILA, Philippines — The traffic flow on EDSA has improved almost a week after the Estrella-Pantaleon or Rockwell Bridge was closed, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said yesterday. 

Private motorists have opted to use inner roads in Mandaluyong and Makati instead of using EDSA as an alternate route following Rockwell Bridge’s closure on Jan. 19, the MMDA’s traffic engineering department said.

Based on MMDA’s comparison report, average travel speed on EDSA from Ayala Avenue to Shaw Boulevard and vice versa reached 21.86 kilometers per hour during the morning rush hour on Jan. 21.

This is 3.22 kph or 17.27 percent faster than the 18.64 kph recorded during the morning of Nov. 22, 2018.

Travel time for this stretch of EDSA was recorded at 12 minutes and nine seconds on the morning of Jan. 21, which is two minutes and six seconds or 14.74 percent faster than the 14 minutes and 15 seconds on Nov. 22, 2018. 

During the afternoon rush hour, travel speed on EDSA was at 16.80 kph on Jan. 21, which is 7.28 kph or 76.47 percent faster than the 9.52 kph on Nov. 22, 2018 while the travel time was cut to 15 minutes from the average travel time of 27 minutes.

The Department of Public Works and Highways closed the Rockwell Bridge to motorists for 30 months so the bridge can be replaced with an expanded structure to accommodate more vehicles.