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METRO Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman
Bayani Fernando revealed that the flow of traffic along EDSA and six
other major thorough fares in Metro Manila is expected to improve
with the implementation of several new traffic engineering projects.
Fernando said the construction of
a footbridge in Eastwood, Libis, in Quezon City is set to resume.
The MMDA has recorded scores of accidents in the area involving
pedestrians.
The agency actually started the
building of the proposed footbridge but this was stopped following
the issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) by a court in
favor of a nearby Citibank branch, which protested the construction
of the structure. The bank complained that ini
tial diggings undertaken by the
MMDA to install the steel girders of the walkway had damaged some of
its underground utility lines.
Reports reaching the office of
the chairman Fernando showed Citibank requested the court to lift
the TRO so the MMDA can resume the construction of the footbridge.
Fernando also said that the
construction of an elevated U-turn slot is expected to start next
month in Makati City. It will be located at the Kalayaan and C-5
area.
“Expropriation of some houses
to be hit by the project has been done while some residents who have
been afforded prior relocation assistance have nowhere to go but go
back to their resettlement sites,” he said.
More footbridges at EDSA
He added that a footbridge will
also be built at EDSA corner Roxas Boulevard to ensure the unimpeded
flow of vehicular and pedestrian traffic in the area. Similar
walkways are planned at Harrison Street and Taft Avenue, all along
EDSA.
Fernando said travel speed along
EDSA has sharply improved from 23 kilometers per hour in previous
years to the present 31.88 kph.
The MMDA has targeted the tagging
of 2,517 bus units plying EDSA with microchips. At least 500 buses
have already been equipped with the Radio Frequency Identification
microchips that would allow the MMDA to regulate the dispatch of
buses along EDSA based on passenger demand.
 --Jayson
Cruz Luna
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