MORE alternate routes will be opened in Quezon City next week to further ease the flow of traffic along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue and help motorists going to the cities of San Juan, Mandaluyong and Makati.
One of the additional routes, according to Metro Manila Development Authority acting chairman Thomas Orbos, will be called the Scout Area Bypass, which will be opened on Monday to allow southbound motorists to take Quezon Avenue Flyover or the service road, turn right to Scout Borromeo.
Orbos said from Scout Borromeo, motorists may either turn left to Tomas Morato and Scout Tobias, both of which are already identified as MMDA Mabuhay Lanes, or alternate roads for private vehicles avoiding the congested Edsa.
Another alternative would be turning left to Scout Tuazon that ends in Roces Avenue then motorists may either choose to turn right to intercept Scout Tobias or turn left to intercept Tomas Morato.
To better manage traffic in the busy South Triangle area, Orbos ordered the deployment of MMDA personnel to intensify its clearing operations to get rid of any type of road obstructions, including illegally parked vehicles and sidewalk vendors, starting March 2, Thursday.
The MMDA, however, agreed to allow one-side, time-bounded parking for residents and business patrons on the four-lane roads except for the Mabuhay Lane based on the requests of barangay officials in the area.
The parking scheme will be in coordination and regulated with the local officials who will issue stickers to ensure that parked vehicles will not hamper traffic and cause bottlenecks.
Aside from the road clearing operations, the agency has also committed to provide directional signage for motorists as well as road markings like yellow boxes, pedestrian lanes and rumble strips.
The MMDA is also considering to install traffic lights on major intersections, depending on the results of the traffic survey and volume count of vehicles.
Orbos said the latest traffic measure, in addition to the expanded Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program or the number coding scheme, will help reduce the volume of vehicles on Edsa.
“This is another measure or intervention to address the traffic condition on Edsa, especially during rush hours,” he said.
The bypass project was done in support and cooperation of barangay officials namely—Larry Handayan of South Triangle, Jose Maria Rodriguez of Laging Handa, Alberto Flores of Sacred Heart, Leopoldo Tiamson of Paligsahan, and Jose Segundo of Obrero.
The government is set to open more alternate routes this year to further decongest traffic in the metropolis.