MMDA still evaluating Christmas lanes

MANILA, Philippines - With only 16 days left until Christmas Day, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said yesterday it is still too early to assess the impact made by the 33 new Christmas lanes – alternate routes for private motorists – on the traffic situation in the metropolis.

“Our evaluation is still ongoing,” said engineer Noemi Recio, head of the MMDA’s Traffic Engineering Center. Recio said the evaluation would be done for one week following the opening of the additional alternate routes last Tuesday.

Recio, however, is urging private motorists to make use of the alternate routes, especially now that EDSA – the Metro’s main artery – is congested by an increase in vehicle volume.

Traffic along EDSA’s southbound lane of EDSA slowed to a crawl yesterday as the Department of Education suspended classes in the elementary and high school levels because of the continuous rain.

According to Yves Gonzalez, head of the MMDA’s Traffic Discipline Office (TDO), there was traffic buildup at the Ortigas-EDSA area after De La Salle Greenhills and the Saint Pedro Poveda College dismissed their elementary and high school classes early.

Gonzalez added that there was also high volume of traffic along Ortigas Avenue towards Connecticut street in Greenhills and towards Meralco Avenue. The volume affected the traffic along EDSA’s southbound lane, he said.

Last Tuesday, the MMDA opened an additional 48 kilometers of alternate routes for private motorists crossing Metro Manila.

MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino said the 33 additional lanes will augment the 12 Christmas lanes opened for use of private motorists last year. For this year, private motorists can make use of a total of 205 kilometers of alternate routes to escape the expected heavy traffic volume along EDSA and along the other major thoroughfares.

Among the new Christmas lanes opened are those leading to popular shopping areas of Divisoria and Carriedo in Manila; Baclaran in Parañaque City; and to Greenhills in San Juan City.

The MMDA-TDO said that after the opening of the Christmas lanes last year, travel speed along EDSA increased by more than 14 percent, or from 27.98 kilometers per hour to 32.07 kph.