MANILA, Philippines—Starting Tuesday, October 28, provincial buses will be allowed to use all tunnels on Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (Edsa)–except on the Ayala section of the highway.
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis Tolentino signed on Thursday a memorandum circular allowing 3,300 provincial buses to pass through both the northbound and southbound lanes of three Edsa underpasses.
From October 28 until January 4, 2015, provincial buses will be allowed to use the Shaw Boulevard, P. Tuazon and Aurora tunnels.
Tolentino said the scheme was meant to ease traffic congestion in preparation for All Souls’ Day, semestral breaks and the holidays.
These buses, however, will only be allowed to use the rightmost lane of each tunnel.
Tolentino also reiterated that the scheme would only be effective from Monday to Saturday.
Under the MMDA Transport and Traffic Management MC No. 3, an odd-even scheme will be applied in the usage of Edsa underpasses.
Provincial buses with plate numbers ending in 1,3,5,7 and 9 may use the tunnels every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday only.
For buses with plate numbers ending in 2,4,6,8, and 0, they will only be allowed every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Violators would be fined P500.
In anticipation of traffic accidents, Tolentino said that the MMDA would put tow trucks on standby.
Tolentino said the MMDA may consider extending the scheme until after January 4.
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