THE five-minute drive from Ayala in Makati to Cubao, Quezon City, which President Duterte hoped would be possible by December was premised on the completion of public works projects that would absorb much of the present traffic along Epifanio de los Santos Ave. (EDSA). It does not look like it will be achieved, as the ongoing projects will not be ready by December, as hoped.
The projects are fast being pursued, much faster than in previous administrations. The hundreds of giant concrete columns that will support the elevated highways can be seen rising all over Metro Manila, but we cannot expect their completion in just two or three more months.
On top of that, we had that breakdown of LRT-2 last October 3 when transformers supplying power to the three farthest northeast stations of Anonas, Katipunan, and Santolan exploded and caught fire. The entire system had to be shut down but after four days, the route from Cubao to Recto reopened with five of its usual ten trains. Restoration of the entire system is expected to take six to nine months – by April to July next year. Most of LRT-2’s usual 240,000 passengers have to turn to other means of transportation.
Even after all the present transport systems are upgraded to maximum capacity and all the new road projects are completed, the traffic jams all over Metro Manila are likely to continue. This is the price we have to pay for the growth and the increasing economic activity in the National Capital Region.
We thus welcome a new proposal made by San Miguel Corp. (SMC) for an elevated expressway along EDSA – from Macapagal Ave. in the reclaimed area across Roxas Blvd. in Pasay City all the way to Balintawak in Caloocan City. It could cost about R3 billion, said SMC President and Chief Operating Officer Ramon Ang. The proposed 38-kilometer 10-lane elevated expressway can be built in 24 to 30 months.
If there are other ideas and proposals to help solve Metro Manila’s gigantic traffic problem, Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) officials said, they would be welcome. With over 20,000 vehicles being added each year to the traffic, we need all the ideas and proposals we can get.
We are now in the middle of October and the Christmas rush in December is just two months away. We must set aside whatever hopes we had of realizing that five-minute trip along EDSA from Makati to Quezon City. We just look forward to the completion of the ongoing public works projects in the coming months and then we must look ahead to the coming years when even more roads will have to be built to accommodate the traffic that we must accept as part of our fast developing economy. ###