MMDA sets HOV lane on Edsa; dry run starts Dec. 11

A scheme called “congestion pricing” is being studied as a way to ease traffic flow on the country’s busiest highway. —NINO JESUS ORBETA

The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has announced that it would allot the innermost lane on EDSA for high-occupancy vehicles (HOV), or vehicles with at least two passengers including the driver, as a way to ease traffic.

In a press conference, MMDA Assistant General Manager for Planning Jojo Garcia said that a week-long dry run to test the new scheme would start on Monday, December 11, to determine if the measure is effective.

He noted, however, that vehicles with only one driver and no passenger are barred from using the HOV lane.

The HOV lane would be the innermost lane on EDSA, just beside the Metro Rail Transit (MRT), according to Garcia.

Currently, there are five lanes on EDSA: The two outer-most lanes are for public transportations while the three other lanes are for private vehicles.

“Cause ng traffic is really the volume. Napakaraming sasakyan, konting infrastructure,” Garcia lamented. “Why not encourage them, at least dalawa sa sasakyan. May data tayo sa EDSA, 50 to 60 percent, ang nagmamaneho, (mag-)isa lang.”

During the dry run, Garcia said that traffic enforcers are not yet mandated to catch drivers violating the HOV lane policy. However, once the policy is fully-implemented, Garcia said a fine of P500 shall be charged against violators.

Garcia said the traffic reduction measure was approved following a meeting with the Metro Manila Council, composed of mayors of cities and municipalities in the metropolis.  /kga