81 overspeeding motorists apprehended

MANILA, Philippines - A total of 81 motorists were apprehended by traffic enforcers of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) as of Tuesday for breaking the 60 kilometer-per-hour speed limit on the portion of the Commonwealth Avenue from the Sandiganbayan to the Doña Carmen Avenue in North Fairview.

Those apprehended and made to pay the P1,200 fine for speeding were 27 private motorists, 13 taxi drivers, 27 bus drivers, 10 utility vehicle drivers, a motorcyclist, two jeepney drivers and a van driver.

Today was the first day of the speed limit’s extension of coverage. The stretch from the Sandiganbayan to Doña Carmen Avenue is about 2.3 kilometers long of the 12.4-kilometer Commonwealth Avenue. 

MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino said the agency has decided to expand the coverage of the speed limit on Commonwealth Avenue to step up its campaign against speedsters and to prevent road accidents.

Tolentino said the extended coverage of the traffic scheme is aimed at further improving traffic along the 12.4-kilometer highway and preventing road accidents.

Tolentino added that the MMDA has also been receiving reports that drag racers still use Commonwealth Avenue for their illegal racing, especially at nighttime. To aid its traffic enforcers, Tolentino said the MMDA has bought additional speed guns to detect speeding motorists.

“We have procured additional speed guns to aid our traffic constables in going after the speedsters,” Tolentino said, adding that plans are also being studied to install more closed circuit television cameras (CCTVs) along the highway.

“There are portions on Commonwealth Avenue that are 18 lanes wide so motorists tend to speed up,” Tolentino added.        

The MMDA enforced the 60-kilometer-per-hour limit on Commonwealth Avenue in Jan. 29, 2011 following the spate of fatal road accidents in the area. It was also later adopted on Diosdado Macapagal Avenue in Pasay City.

As of Feb. 21, the MMDA has apprehended a total of 23,798 speedsters along the portion of the Commonwealth Avenue from Philcoa to the Sandiganbayan.

Commonwealth Avenue, dubbed as the country’s “killer highway” is the widest highway in the country. It has six to 18 lanes running in both directions.

Built in the late 1960s, the Commonwealth Avenue starts from the Quezon Memorial Circle inside the Elliptical Road, passes through the areas of Philcoa, Tandang Sora, Balara, Batasan Hills and ends at Quirino Highway in the Novaliches area.