EDSA remains to be the transport and traffic barometer in the country for the simple reason that it is the most congested local roadway, even in these pandemic times. Hence, government interventions such as the number coding, the truck ban, as well as the recent Edsa bus carousel were intended to have vehicles and commuters move faster in this roadway. But one area that is wanting for improvement in this all-important corridor is the plight of pedestrians. Metro Manila Development Authority estimates more than 2 million pedestrians crisscrossing and traversing Edsa daily.
That is more than all the number of Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and bus commuters and all those in their vehicles put together. And for all the impact they have on Edsa mobility, pedestrians remain to be unnoticed and confined to a cramped space that is an excuse for a sidewalk, risking life and limb while competing with vendors and vehicles backing in and out of establishments that had encroached on what is supposed to be a people-space. The government is now given the rare pause—because of this pandemic, to redo and improve Edsa. It will be good to allocate some of its attention and resources to attend to the plight of this segment of our society utilizing this most basic form of mobility.
One scheme that sprouts every now and then is the building of elevated walkways in this all-important corridor. Similar to the “High Line” in New York or the ones in downtown Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Hong Kong, the elevated Edsa walkway would allow a safe walkable area despite the problem of limited space on the ground. And we are not just talking about footbridges that just cross Edsa. More importantly are the last mile walkways that intend to ferry people from the main Edsa public transport line to the business districts. Right now, we have but a few, notably the privately built walkway connecting the MRT Ayala Station to the Makati CBD and the local government-private sector initiated Pasig walkway that is still a work-in progress because of what I hear are some jurisdiction issues.
An elevated walkway would be cheaper and faster to build given the lesser structural tension and space requirements than those meant for vehicles and rails. Right-of-way issues will also be minimal, as most of these will be built on public property. Budget should not be a problem. A portion of this was already included in the national expenditure as well as part of an ADB loan package some years ago. I also remember an unsolicited proposal during the past administration that would connect the central business districts of Makati and Ortigas where the return of investments will be on the commercial establishments along the way.
There are other benefits. One can look at this being a form of economic stimulus. Formerly underutilized spaces tucked in between establishments can now be viable commercially. Shopping malls can be interconnected, bringing much needed foot traffic to their establishments. In Hong Kong and Singapore, businesses vie for such access, which increases the value of their real estate. Also, a walkway is a good and proven pollution reduction measure, which has a direct correlation with the public health of the populace.
But maybe the greatest benefit would be its impact on people mobility. More than 30 percent of all bus trips on Edsa are short haul trips, meaning less than 5 kilometers. Just think of how much traffic is lessened and trips made faster. I would not mind walking 5 kilometers if there is such ample and safe space for me to walk on. It would be good for my health, for our environment; not to mention possibly a shorter travel time given the traffic that we have.
Maybe it is high time to revisit the Edsa walkway project and rethink the micro-mobility options in that corridor. Maybe we need to make it more exciting in order to make it happen. Having a name of that planned walkway perhaps? The Edsa Skywalk? Whatever it may be, we need to do it now, and the timing with this pandemic is just right. Let’s make it happen.
Thomas “Tim” Orbos is currently a transport policy advisor for an international organization and worked in government on transport and urban development matters. He is an alumnus of Georgetown University and the MIT Sloan School of Management. He can be reached via e-mail—tmo45@georgetown.edu /thomas_orbos@sloan.mit.edu