MOTORISTS plying Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (Edsa) could expect slight relief in the daily traffic congestion in the circumferential highway in Metro Manila with the completion of the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 project by the second half of the year.
At an economic briefing in Malacañang on Wednesday, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) announced the 18.3-kilometer elevated expressway is projected to be operational by the second quarter of 2019.
The Skyway, together with their other related infrastructure projects like the North Luzon Expressway (Nlex) Harbor Link, Segment 10, is expected to improve traffic on Edsa.
“Our prediction is it will reduce traffic on Edsa between 20 and 30 percent by the second half of this year,” Public Works Secretary Mark A. Villar said.
Overcapacity
Villar explained that despite Edsa’s capacity being pegged at only 288,000 cars per day, it is being used by an average of 400,000 vehicles per day, leading to heavy traffic on the major thoroughfare, which passes through the cities of Caloocan, Quezon City, San Juan, Mandaluyong, Makati and Pasay.
He said they expect 120,000 of the vehicles currently using Edsa will transfer to the soon-to-be completed Stage 3 of the Skyway.
As of January, the new phase of Skyway is already 76 percent complete. It is expected to cut down travel time from Buendia to Balintawak, Quezon City, from 2 hours to 20 minutes.
Villar said this will make President Duterte’s commitment last year to allow travel along Edsa—from Cubao to Makati—in just five minutes.
“Once the Skyway is completed, it will decongest Edsa so it is possible to travel for five minutes from Cubao to Makati,” Villar said.
Partial solution
Those using the elevated highway, should be ready to shell out between P74.2 and P91.5 for the convenience.
“The toll [for Skyway 3] is not finalized, but more or less as guide, 4 to 5 pesos per kilometer will be its toll fee,” Villar said.
Villar, however, admitted that additional highways and bridges is not the sole solution to the perennial Edsa traffic, as it should be complimented with a compatible mass transit system.
DPWH has allocated P384 billion for its Edsa decongestion program, which involves the construction of 13 roads/expressways and 10 bridges in Metro Manila.
“The long-term solution for traffic is mass transit, which [Transportation] Secretary Art [Arthur] Tugade said is also in the advanced stages of his master plan for this,” Villar said.
Image credits: Department of Public Works and Highways