The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will conduct a dry run for the implementation of the exclusive motorcycle lanes along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City.
The exclusive motorcycle lane is located at the third lane from the sidewalk of Commonwealth Avenue, from Elliptical Road to Doña Carmen Street and vice versa.
“The dry run is meant to familiarize motorcycle riders traversing Commonwealth Avenue on the said policy. We will have a full deployment of MMDA traffic enforcers and we will be assisted by the local
government of Quezon City,” said MMDA chairman Romando Artes at the formal launching held at the UP-Ayala Technohub on Wednesday.
He clarified that “no motorists will be apprehended during the dry run activity which will start tomorrow (March 9) until Sunday.”
Artes explained the implementation of the motorcycle lane is to reduce the number of fatal road crashes involving motorcycles and to improve traffic flow on the said road.
Based on MMDA’s Metro Manila Accident Reporting and Analysis System (MMARAS), a total of 1,686 or 5 cases per day of motorcycle-related road crash incidents along Commonwealth Avenue were recorded for the year 2022. Of that figure, 13 cases resulted in fatal injuries, 930 in non-fatal injuries, and 743 in damage to property.
Per the annual average daily traffic count conducted by the MMDA Traffic Engineering Center, a total of 154,639 motorcycles and 10,134 public utility vehicles ply along Commonwealth Avenue.
Further, the MMDA chief added that stricter implementation of exclusive motorcycle lanes on Commonwealth Avenue will commence next week.
“We will fully enforce the exclusive motorcycle lanes on Commonwealth Avenue after the dry run. Violators will then be fined P500,” he said.
1-Rider party-list Rep. Bonifacio Bosita welcomed the development, saying he appreciated the special attention given to the riding community.
“I am thankful to the leadership of chairman Artes as he prioritized the safety of motorcycle riders. As an advocate and representative of 1-Rider party-list, I am appealing to all motorcycle riders to maintain order and discipline on the roads,” the legislator said.
Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez, also of 1-Rider Partylist, who is also present during the event, expressed support for the agency’s rider-friendly initiatives.
“We have high hopes for the success of the implementation of exclusive motorcycle lanes,” Gutierrez said.
Under MMDA Resolution No. 22-15, the right outermost lane of Commonwealth Avenue shall be designated as an exclusive bicycle lane.
The second lane and third lane of the same avenue will be designated as exclusive Public Utility Vehicles (for jeeps, UV Express, buses) and motorcycle lanes, respectively. The remaining lanes of Commonwealth Avenue shall be utilized by all other motor vehicles.