QC sets zipper lane, diversion dry run along Commonwealth Ave. from Dec. 31 – Jan. 3

Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City (Niño Jesus Orbeta/Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — A dry run of the implementation of a zipper lane and road diversion along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City has started on Thursday, Dec. 31, and will run until Sunday, Jan. 3.

The Quezon City government on Thursday said the dry run is aimed at determining whether or not a zipper lane and road diversion will alleviate heavy traffic along the said thoroughfare in Quezon City.

The dry run will run from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte noted that heavy traffic is usually experienced from the Don Antonio area up to Quezon Memorial Circle westbound during rush hours, especially with the on-going “Build, Build, Build” projects, including the MRT-7.

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA

“Since the MRT-7 construction in the Elliptical Road-North Avenue interchange will be extended for another two months, we will have to devise ways to ease up the flow of traffic especially after the holiday season,” Belmonte said in a statement.

The dry run for the proposed zipper lane will be from the Luzon Avenue-Tandang Sora Avenue area, while on Saturday, another entrance will be opened in front of UP-Ayala Technohub.

INQUIRER PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA

The zipper lane will end at the corner of Commonwealth Avenue eastbound and University Avenue leading to the University of the Philippines – Diliman.

Motorists can turn left to enter UP and proceed to C.P. Garcia Ave. and onwards,  bypassing the heavily congested stretch of Philcoa until North Avenue during weekday morning rush hours.

The zipper lane is meant to give an alternate route to motorists, the QC government said.

 Elliptical Road in Quezon City (file photo / courtesy of the MMDA)

“Instead of going through the traffic in the Philcoa area westbound, entering the Elliptical Road, all the way to North Avenue, motorists can use the zipper lane and go directly to C.P. Garcia,” Assistant City Administrator Alberto Kimpo said.

Meanwhile, motorists coming from the Elliptical Road will have to turn right to the University Avenue and make a u-turn in the crossing of University Avenue and C.P. Garcia Avenue to re-enter Commonwealth Avenue.

Traffic enforcers, signages, and barriers will be properly installed in the areas to guide motorists in this alternative traffic scheme, Kimpo assured.

“Aside from our Task Force on Transport and Traffic Management personnel, MMDA and the MRT-7 contractor EEI will help deploy additional manpower in the area to ensure smooth flow of traffic,” he added.

gsg