By Wilnard Bacelonia
MANILA – Senators Francis Tolentino and Grace Poe on Tuesday called for strategic and commuter-sensitive approaches ahead of the major rehabilitation works on EDSA.
Tolentino, a former chair of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), recommends a phased, night-only construction to cushion disruptions to motorists, businesses, and the economy.
He proposed dividing the two-year project into five work sections namely Pasay, Makati-Guadalupe, Ortigas, Cubao, and Caloocan, and limiting construction to between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
Senator Grace Poe, meanwhile, said the Department of Transportation (DOTr) should fast-track the completion of the MRT-7 railway project to provide an alternative mode of travel amid expected congestion on EDSA.
“Everyone in Metro Manila is waiting to get on board. We hope the MRT-7 project will soon be a reality,” she said.
MRT-7, which stretches from North Avenue in Quezon City to San Jose del Monte in Bulacan, is expected to cut travel time from as much as three hours to just 35 minutes across 14 stations by 2026. The 23-km. line is being built and will be operated by the Ang-led San Miguel Corporation, through its subsidiary, SMC MRT-7.
Beyond transport infrastructure, Poe also weighed in on the proposed odd-even traffic scheme and toll exemptions being considered during the EDSA repair, urging clarity and transparency in policy implementation.
“The rebuilding of EDSA is long overdue. But any policy that restricts movement must be communicated clearly and justified with data,” she said, warning that many motorists are already reacting negatively to the odd-even scheme.
Poe also encouraged private sector support, including shuttle services and work-from-home arrangements, to ease commuter pressure, citing the 2017 JICA study that pegged Metro Manila’s daily traffic losses at PHP3.5 billion, potentially ballooning to PHP5.4 billion by 2035.
The EDSA rehabilitation is also an opportunity to scale up permanent, people-centric solutions such as wider bike lanes, longer train hours, carpool incentives, and expanded pedestrian pathways, she added. (PNA)
