The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) announced on Tuesday that Bank Drive in Ortigas Center in Pasig City is now open to private vehicles to help ease traffic congestion in commercial district.
The MMDA’s Traffic Engineering Center (TEC) said vehicles traversing Edsa northbound heading to Ortigas area can now access Bank Drive (the road between Asian Development Bank [ADB] and SM Megamall) from 6 to 10 a.m. daily.
Formerly, motorists going to Ortigas pass through Guadix Drive. However, the long queue of vehicles entering the ADB compound that undergo vehicle inspection at the Guadix gate cause bottleneck along the road, affecting Edsa’s northbound lane.
“Guadix Road is an identified chokepoint. With this road opening, we can somehow ease traffic flow in the busy area,” said Jojo Garcia, MMDA acting general manager.
The road opening, in coordination with various stakeholders, aims to reduce traffic buildup along Edsa-Ortigas area during morning rush hour.
Prior to enforcement, TEC’s comparative analysis based on simulation showed that travel time along Edsa Northbound Service Road on Ortigas Avenue from SM Megamall to Meralco Avenue decreased by 19 percent from 7 minutes and 41 seconds.
The same data showed that travel speed along Edsa Northbound Service Road on Ortigas Avenue from SM Megamall to Meralco Avenue increased by 25 percent. From 12 kilometers per hour (kph), average travel speed increased to 14 kph.
