People are sick and tired of the traffic and chaos and the interminable time spent looking for a ride
Edsa dry run, MMDA?
Why has the dry run of the Department of Transportation’s (DoTr) improved Active Transport Project (ATP) along Edsa been delayed for six months?
Among the many people wondering about this are the members of the Move As One Coalition, which recently issued a statement expressing their grave concerns about the months-long delay in the implementation of the ATP.
The dry run will include road configuration improvements and the widening of pedestrian walkways and protected bi-directional bike lanes. It was supposed to cover a five-kilometer stretch along Santolan, Ortigas, and Shaw Boulevard.
The conduct of the dry run was approved by the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Jan. 24 this year, but it has not yet been conducted as far as anyone knows.
The dry run is necessary for the implementation of the ATP on Edsa, as part of the DoTr’s Active Transport Infrastructure Improvement Program (ATIIP).
This delay is puzzling, given that the ATIIP is in line with the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, the National Transport Policy, and other key government issuances.
The Move as One Coalition was founded during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, when a massive transport crisis occurred. Drivers of public transportation vehicles lost their jobs and healthcare workers had difficulty getting rides to home and work due to strict health restrictions.
This situation moved a group of concerned citizens to push for policies and programs to assist frontliners with their transportation needs.
Today, the group claims to include over 77,000 persons and more than 140 organizations in a coalition that advocates for a “safer, more humane, and more inclusive public transportation system in the Philippines.”
In their statement, which may be read on the group’s Facebook page, the Move As One Coalition calls on the MMDA to “immediately implement the dry run” of the ATP and work with all concerned stakeholders to ensure its success.
The group has been trying to set up a meeting with the MMDA to offer its assistance, but it has not yet received a response.
The benefits of a bikeable and walkable city
The ATP has the potential to make Edsa safer and more efficient for everyone. Safe pedestrian walkways and protected bi-directional bike lanes would make it easier for people to walk and bike, even with children.
Studies have shown that protected bike lanes make it safer to bike and make the roads safer for everyone.
A study published in the Journal of Transport & Health found that bike facilities act as “calming” mechanisms on traffic, slowing cars and reducing fatalities.
Ultimately, a more walkable and bikeable city will encourage private vehicle users to also use, or even shift to, non-motorized modes of transport. This would reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality, and make people healthier with the exercise they would be getting.
It’s only gotten worse
Let’s face it, traffic in the metro has only gotten worse over succeeding government administrations.
Former President Duterte said he fulfilled all his campaign promises except for easing Edsa traffic, and blamed Congress for not giving him emergency powers to do so.
This failure to fix Edsa not only during the previous administration but over several decades is a huge blow to national development because the shortsightedness of all administrations including the present is to keep Manila as the country’s imperial center, and Edsa as the main thoroughfare.
People are sick and tired of the traffic and chaos and the interminable time spent looking for a ride, and, when they’ve found a ride, sweltering inside vehicles longer than they’re moving because of the horrendous traffic.
An added burden is the high cost of public transportation that doubled after the war in Ukraine started, without salaries being increased to compensate.
The Filipino people need and deserve alternative forms of transportation that actually work for them and make them feel better instead of feeling like they are suffering in hell each time they go out.
The benefits of a bike culture
Cycling is a great way to get around, and it has many benefits for both individuals and society as a whole.
In the Philippines, cycling is not as popular as it is in other countries such as the Netherlands, but there are many reasons why we should be trying to instill a bike-riding culture in our country.
For one, it gives health benefits. Cycling is a great way to get exercise, and it can cut down the risk of obesity, diabetes, and other lifestyle-related diseases.
It is also a very affordable way to get around, and it can save money on transportation costs.
It is good for the environment. Cycling does not produce any emissions, so it is a very environmentally friendly way to travel.
This is especially important for a country like the Philippines, which is facing serious air pollution problems.
It can help reduce traffic congestion. If more people cycled, it would mean fewer cars on the road, which would help to reduce traffic congestion. This would make it easier and faster for everyone to get to their destinations.
Bike commuting can also be a great way to meet new people and get to know your community, and make our cities more liveable.
To encourage bike commuting in the Philippines, for one thing, the government needs to build protected bike lanes and other infrastructure that makes it safe and convenient to cycle.
This is what the ATIIP is supposed to do.
We need action, fast
The MMDA has a responsibility to implement the dry run without further delay and, working with all concerned stakeholders, do its part toward making Edsa a safer and more sustainable transportation corridor.
For the agency to fail to act on this project immediately is to show its incompetence and lack of urgency in the face of steadily surmounting transportation challenges that will only tremendously set back productivity, health, and national development — when the solution is staring at us right in the face.
* * FB and Twitter: @DrJennyO / Email: writerjennyo@gmail.com
