Plan to close streets for Edsa museum scrapped; traffic plan for anniversary set

TRAFFIC jam along Edsa File photo

MANILA — Due to concerns over traffic jams along Edsa and White Plains Avenue in Quezon City, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) announced on Thursday that the plan to close the westbound lane of White Plains Avenue from Temple Drive all the way to Edsa for 16 days was scrapped.

The road stretch will only be closed on the celebration of the 30th Edsa People Power Anniversary on Feb. 25 from 12 a.m. to 1 p.m., according to an MMDA advisory Thursday.

The MMDA earlier warned motorists of heavy traffic along White Plains Avenue in Quezon City starting Sunday until February 29 to give way to the construction of an “experiential museum” for the Edsa anniversary celebration.

MMDA Chair Emerson Carlos said the Edsa People Power Commission (PPC) earlier set plans to construct a museum composed of nine halls, which would depict the events of the People Power Revolution until the ouster of former President Ferdinand Marcos.

The initial set-up for the museum was scheduled to commence on Sunday and was expected to eat up three lanes of White Plains Avenue.

However, the Edsa PPC officially announced on Thursday that the plan for the experiential museum was revised and that they decided to have it inside Camp Aguinaldo.

MMDA special operations officer Emmanuel Miro told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that the commission might have greatly considered the big effect that the road closure would bring to the riding public.

“We always explained to them the possible traffic scenarios during coordination meetings,” Miro added.

The MMDA has issued the following advisory to the public regarding the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Edsa-People Power Revolution:

*  The Edsa northbound will still be closed from Ortigas Avenue to Santolan to give way to the annual “salubungan” or the reenactment of meeting of soldiers and ordinary citizens during the 1986 people power revolution.

*  A zipper lane will be opened along Edsa southbound to accommodate northbound vehicles,

*  Motorists who will use White Plains can utilize Kamias Road, Aurora Boulevard, P. Tuazon, Boni Serrano and Ortigas Avenue.

*  Those going to Edsa can instead travel along Mckinley Road, Kalayaan Avenue and Pioneer in going to C5 or take Roxas Boulevard, Quirino, Osmena, Ayala, Buendia, R. Magsaysay Boulevard and Quezon Avenue if thay are going north.  –Maricar B. Brizuela, SFM