Sections of C5 closed Saturday night through Monday

C5. MMDA PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The south- and north-bound sections of Circumferential Road 5 or C5 are to be closed alternately from Saturday night through Monday morning to make way for the construction of a pedestrian overpass in the Greenmeadows area, but counterflow “zipper lanes” will be designated to allow traffic to run smoothly, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said Saturday.

MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino said the south-bound section of the thoroughfare in Greenmeadows  will be closed to traffic starting 11 p.m. Saturday until 4 a.m. Sunday, while the north-bound half will be closed from 11 p.m. Sunday until 4 a.m. Monday.

Countrerflow zipper lanes will be designated to allow traffic to flow in both directions even though one-half of the roadway is closed.

Emerson Carlos, MMDA general manager for operations, told the Inquirer the end points of these zipper lanes would be located in the areas of Industria and Wilcon.

“The zipper lane is a  counterflow system. On Saturday, those going southbound  enter the northbound side of C5 in Industria and  go back to the southbound lane at Wilcon,” he explained.

On Sunday, he said, the process would be reversed.

Tolentino said the closure of sections of the thoroughfare at a time was necessary to ensure that the installation of the pedestrian footbridge’s  girder—a project of the Department of Public Works and Highways—goes unhampered.

“This will likewise prevent any unnecessary vehicular accidents,” he said.

“We are optimistic that traffic will not be heavy,” Tolentino said, noting that the  construction of the footbridge would be done over the weekend and on Monday,  a holiday.