MANILA, Philippines — Some lanes on both the northbound and southbound side of the Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (Edsa) near the North Avenue in Quezon City would be closed for 80 successive nights due to the construction of the common rail station.
The Quezon City government announced that the lane closure, which would give way for the building of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) – Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) Common Station, started on Friday night.
Lanes would be closed to traffic from 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. of the following day for the next 80 days.
“Pansamantalang isasara ang bahagi ng EDSA malapit sa mga kanto ng North Avenue at West Avenue sa susunod na 80 araw, simula ngayong gabi, 9 July 2021, upang magbigay daan sa paglalagay ng steel girders para sa ginagawang MRT-LRT Common Station,” the local government said on their Facebook page.
“Ang temporary lane closure ay magsisimula mula 11PM hanggang 5AM kinabukasan,” it added.
Quezon City’s local government unit (LGU) said that in their talks between the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), it was agreed upon that three lanes on both sides would remain open to avoid heavy traffic even in the wee hours of the night.
“Ayon sa koordinasyon ng Pamahalaang Lungsod at MMDA sa BF Corporation, may mananatiling bukas na hindi bababa sa anim (6) na lane – tatlo (3) sa Northbound at tatlo (3) sa Southbound,” the Quezon City LGU said.
“Maglalatag din ng mga traffic barriers, road safety at directional traffic signs, at enforcer-flagman na magbabantay sa daloy ng trapiko sa nasabing bahagi ng EDSA,” it added.
A long overdue project, the MRT-LRT Common Station is pegged to be the country’s biggest aboveground station, which authorities said may be completed before 2021 ends.
The common station would allow passengers of the LRT-1 — which runs from Baclaran in Pasay towards the heart of Manila and Caloocan before turning towards Quezon City — to access another station after the current last stop at Roosevelt Station.
MRT commuters would also get the chance to use a station before the North Avenue Station and save some travel time as the proposed common terminal would also sit near commercial establishments at the center of North Edsa.
With the project, LRT commuters transferring to MRT trains going towards Taft Avenue would have an easier transfer as they do not need to ride a bus from Roosevelt to North Avenue.