EDSA Busway dismantling ‘ill-advised’

The Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) on Sunday criticized the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) for its plans to demolish the EDSA Busway once the carrying capacity of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) system is increased and the MRT is unified.

To recall, MMDA chairperson Atty. Romando Artes said the removal of the EDSA Carousel was among the recommendations made during a meeting with President Marcos on the Comprehensive Traffic Management Plan at Malacañang.

“Any talk of possible dismantling of the EDSA Carousel Line at this stage would be ill-advised. It will be going against the National Transport Policy of 2017, where public transportation is given priority as a mobility solution, mandating the DoTr and DPWH to implement and regulate it,” said the statement from MAP signed by its president Alfredo Panlilio and MAP transportation and infrastructure committee chairman Eduardo Yap.

According to the business group officials, the focus should be on revitalizing and fully utilizing the existing Mabuhay Lanes for motorcycles, especially since they travel “point to point.”

“The MMDA should focus on this as a priority measure to decongest traffic on EDSA. The Mabuhay Lanes should be cleared of all traffic obstructions and illegal parking, rather than contemplating the dismantling of the EDSA Carousel Line,” the group said.

“Any additional lane on EDSA given for private vehicles will be useless as it will soon be filled up by traffic, based on our experience. And other measures, such as congestion fee charges, have not even been explained to motorists, much less tested,” it added.

Artes previously said there was a move for the bus lane along EDSA to be used by high-occupancy vehicles, stating, “If there are three or four of you in a car, you may use the special lane,” along with proposals to collect fees from private vehicles using EDSA.

“To think that a private vehicle with high occupancy on the Busway can outload a bus in terms of occupancy is simply unrealistic. The MRT3’s design capacity is just 350,000 passengers, and adding a coach or bagon to it will overload its superstructure and trackway. Besides, there is no space on the platform for the coach extension,” MAP said.

“The EDSA Busway remains the most efficient public transit system in Metro Manila,” the MAP officials also said, quoting Transport Secretary Jaime Bautista.