By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz
MANILA – The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will implement an odd/even scheme to reduce the number of vehicles on the Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) and help address expected traffic due to the rebuild.
In a press conference at the MMDA headquarters in Pasig City on Monday, MMDA Chair Romando Artes said the scheme would be implemented on June 16 and would prohibit vehicles exclusively from EDSA based on their license plates.
Vehicles with license plates ending with 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 are prohibited on EDSA on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, while those with plates ending with 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 are prohibited on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
The scheme will not be implemented on Sundays.
“Sa ngayon, magiging 24 hours ang odd/even scheme. Pero tinitignan naming gawin yan limited sa window hours (For now, the scheme will be implemented 24 hours a day. But we’re looking at limiting it to window hours),” Artes said.
A portion of the Skyway Stage 3 that runs along EDSA will be toll-free during the EDSA rebuild to further ease congestion.
“Yung implementation ng free toll sa skyway, madi-distribute ang mga motorista. Yung mga bawal sa EDSA dahil sa odd/even scheme, pwede sa Skyway (The implementation of the free toll on Skyway will help redistribute motorists. Those who are prohibited from EDSA can take the Skyway),” he said.
In addition, all provincial buses, trucks, and other large vehicles will be prohibited from EDSA except from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
“Kasi magiging mas makipot ang lanes sa EDSA dahil sa construction (This is because EDSA’s lanes will shrink during the construction),” he said.
To ensure a smooth flow of traffic around EDSA, the MMDA will begin daily clearing operations on “Mabuhay Lanes” or official alternative roads around Metro Manila.
“Sa mga ‘Mabuhay Lanes’, araw-araw kami manghuhuli. Hindi yung may clearing operations and then sa susunod na buwan na ulit (On Mabuhay lanes, we’ll clear obstructions and illegal parking daily. This won’t be like before where it’s done once a month),” he said.
The MMDA’s enhanced clearing operations will begin next week.
On the other hand, the MMDA is eyeing the reimplementation of an exclusive motorcycle lane on EDSA to reduce accidents and traffic congestion caused by riders who constantly change lanes.
He noted that motorcycles would also be barred from entering overpasses and underpasses along EDSA.
All of the MMDA’s traffic schemes will be supported by the no-contact apprehension policy (NCAP) after a temporary restraining order against the policy was lifted last week.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has ordered a one-week dry run for all policies, with traffic enforcers and NCAP to apprehend erring motorists, but they will not be asked to pay fines.
“Sisitahin natin sila, bibigyan natin ng ticket, pero hindi natin sila sisingilin for the dry run (We will apprehend them, we’ll issue a ticket, but we won’t collect fines for the dry run),” he said.
During the press conference, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan said preliminary works for the EDSA rebuild will begin June 13 at night, with the project expected to be completed in 2027. (PNA)
