The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has reactivated the traffic lights on several C5 intersections, including Calle Industria, Eastwood, Greenmeadows, and Lanuza. The scheme is intended to speed up traffic flow on the arterial road. The intersections were closed off and U-turn slots installed during the time of MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando. They had met with mixed results, but seem to have generally sped up traffic. It remains to be seen whether the old traffic light system will improve traffic flow, or make it much, much slower.
Meanwhile, to reduce the number of trucks passing traffic-prone C-5 Road, the MMDA said it will start a one-lane policy for trucks on Monday, with a test run on Saturday morning.
MMDA Chair Francis Tolentino said the measure is aimed at addressing traffic congestion in the entire stretch of C-5 caused by a huge volume of trucks passing through the road.
“Studies showed that there was an 80-percent increase in the total volume of trucks plying C-5 during the granting of provisional permits to the applicants and the no-apprehension policy of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board,” he said.
New rules
To address this problem, the Special Traffic Committee of the Metro Manila Council, the policy-making body of the MMDA, passed Resolution No. 5 Series of 2014 which laid out rules to be followed by truckers taking the C-5 route starting Monday until January 31, 2015.
Under the resolution, trucks will only be allowed to use C-5’s innermost lane from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily.
Truck drivers are also allowed to use the road during the same hours under the existing truck ban, but only on Sundays and holidays.
Along with the one-lane policy, the MMDA said a total of seven U-Turn slots on C-5 will be closed, with the exception of those located under the flyover. Intersections with signals will also be opened.
“At least 70 traffic enforcers and auxiliaries will be deployed to manage the traffic situation in the area,” Tolentino added.
No parking for containers
Containers will not be allowed to park on any street along C-5 at any time during the day.
Violators of the new regulations will be apprehended and fined P2,000 for the truck ban violation, with the MMDA recommending the blacklisting of the trucking company.
The MMDA said private vehicles shall be allowed to use the truck lane along C-5 during truck ban hours.
The ban currently in force along C-5 prohibits trucks and heavy vehicles with a gross capacity weight of more than 4,500 kilograms from using the thoroughfare from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. every day, except Sundays and holidays.
Trucks carrying perishables and petroleum products are exempted from the ban.
With report by Maricar B. Brizuela
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