Elevated highway scheme gets MMDA boost

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) expressed support for the proposed construction of an elevated portion on EDSA, saying it could be a solution to the excruciating traffic situation on the major thoroughfare.

MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino, in a television interview Wednesday, said the elevated highway could help accommodate the growing number of vehicles in the metropolis.

There are 1.9 million registered vehicles in Metro Manila to date, he added.

Tolentino, however, admitted that the proposal, initiated by the Department of Public Works and Highways, is not the ultimate solution to the traffic problem in Metro Manila.

“We also have to consider the expanding urban population, migration, among others. Creating more roads is also done in other countries, but it’s not the final solution,” Tolentino said.

The MMDA chairman named several conditions that, he claimed, could complement the proposed project should it push through.

Tolentino said there should be a traffic management scheme, franchise readjustment plans to allow public utility buses (PUBs) to take alternative routes, a readjustment of school calendars and early dismissal for schools within the vicinity.

Tolentino added that there should also be an environmental impact plan that will consider flood control and the level of noise pollution that could affect surrounding villages, and flexible hours for employees who will be affected by the construction of the infrastructure, especially those working in malls and government offices near EDSA.