10% heavier traffic ahead: Christmas rush to choke Metro Manila – MMDA

FILE PHOTO: Motorists are seen enduring the heavy traffic along Edsa in this file photo taken in November 2021. INQUIRER.net / JONATHAN VICENTE

MANILA, Philippines — Prepare for an epic traffic jam in Metro Manila in the coming days.

The chaotic roads seen over the weekend will likely be even more congested due to the holiday rush.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) warned Monday that road congestion is expected to spike by 10 percent in the coming days, with city dwellers preparing for Christmas will rush out to do their shopping.

During the Laging Handa Public Briefing earlier, MMDA spokesperson Melissa Carunungan said the current estimated speed along the 23.8-kilometer Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (Edsa) – Metro Manila’s busiest main highway – is 16 kilometers per hour (kph).

During the Laging Handa Public Briefing earlier, MMDA spokesperson Melissa Carunungan revealed the current estimated speed along the 23.8-kilometer Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (Edsa) – Metro Manila’s busiest main highway – is a measly 16 kilometers per hour (kph).

The velocity count, she noted, is faster than the pre-pandemic speed rate of 11 kph.

“So before the Christmas rush, we had almost the same vehicular volume along Edsa but because of the Christmas rush, we are expecting an increase of around 10 percent in the coming days,” Carunungan said in Filipino.

“Our estimate at the moment is 16 kilometers per hour, however, this is still better than pre-pandemic numbers.  Pre-pandemic is at 11 kilometers per hour so at least we have faster travel speeds even if there are more or we have equaled the number of vehicles,” she added.

READ: MMDA extends duty hours of traffic enforcers for holiday season

The MMDA official said that as of November 24, the number of vehicles traversing Edsa daily was estimated at 417,000 – which is projected to increase with the anticipated holiday rush, thus, prompting the MMDA to remove obstructions along the so-called Mabuhay Lanes.

A project of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Mabuhay Lanes are alternative routes for motorists, designed to help reduce traffic congestion in the roads of Metro Manila. These lanes offer an alternative option for commuters looking to avoid the heavy traffic along major thoroughfares in the metropolis.

“As of November 24, 2022, there are around 417,000 vehicles plying Edsa every day. We will have another count this Thursday but in light of the increase in number due to the holiday rush, we have placed traffic mitigating measures, like the clearing of our Mabuhay Lanes,” she said.

“So if we see that primary roads are already congested, we can use the Mabuhay Lanes. We clean the roads every day, people can use this as an alternate route to help in decongesting our major thoroughfares,” she added.

Parade of Stars

Meanwhile, the MMDA said that only one lane on both sides of Quezon Avenue will be open for motorists during the Parade of Stars for this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) on December 21.

Carunungan also said that they wanted to avoid road closures during the event as much as possible, but E. Rodriguez Avenue in Quezon City will be closed from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. that day to give way to the parade.

READ: MMDA releases route for annual MMFF Parade of Stars on December 21

“The Parade of Stars will start at Welcome Rotonda up to Quezon Memorial Circle, along the stretch of Quezon Avenue and would begin by 4:00 p.m. on December 21.  So as much as possible, we do not want road closures, but only one lane on both directions of Quezon Avenue would remain open, while the E. Rodriguez Avenue would be closed from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.,” she said.

“For our alternate routes, the MMDA, in coordination with the local government of Quezon City [has] released this on our social media accounts,” she added.

KGA/abc