Taking a U-Turn

How do you cross an intersection?

If you’re driving in Metro Manila, chances are you should: (A) disregard the traffic light at that intersection; (B) make a right turn when where you actually intend to go is straight ahead but can’t because barriers are blocking the way; (C) merge through four or five or six lanes of traffic (in some cases you need to clear the two lanes designated for public transportation vehicles) to make it to the innermost lane to get to the U-turn slot, usually located within a hundred meters or so away from the intersection; (D) forcibly squeeze your vehicle around the slot where all the other vehicles, regardless of size, should be able to make a U-turn maneuver in an area that usually occupies all but two lanes; (E) merge with traffic and cut through several lanes once more so you can get to the outermost one and make another right turn, finally enabling you to complete the intersection crossing. If Juan Pablo Montoya thought diving through a corner with Fernando Alonso on his side was tough, then the F1 star ought to drive in Manila sometime and pick up a few pointers.

Snide snipes aside, there is nothing humorous, not to mention easy, in the U-Turn traffic scheme the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority has put in practice in many locations in the Metro. Last week, Dr. Ricardo Sigua, Director of the National Center of Transportation Studies of the University of the Philippines, expressed concern over this "clearway program", questioning its effectiveness and raising issues over traffic safety in general.

In an open letter directed to the MMDA, Sigua doubts there was any study made before the U-turn scheme was implemented, claiming "all the MMDA could show are drawing plans of the scheme without any honest-to-goodness analysis."

"I believe that there are capable technical people at MMDA and I know they know that before coming up with any drawings for implementation, these must be first assessed for their effectiveness. These plans should not be implemented just for the sake of testing whether it would work or not. For how long are they going to experiment? Improving mobility and lessening travel time at the expense of road safety, is a very serious offense. Nothing more can be irreparable than the loss of lives and limbs due to road accidents," Sigua said.

Sigua cited several locations, particularly in Quezon City, where he presumably feels the U-turn program causes more problems than it’s supposed to solve, if not being downright unsafe.

"Quezon Avenue used to be one of the most beautiful roads in Metro Manila. Now it has been transformed into one of the messiest, most unsafe roads to traverse," Sigua noted.

Before the U-turn scheme in Quezon Avenue was implemented, Sigua attributes the traffic mess in the area to an ineffective traffic signal system, claiming about half of the detectors used were not functional anymore. "Our traffic signal control system, now managed and operated by the MMDA, cost us millions to acquire and is supposed to be a very sophisticated system. But if it keeps on getting wrong inputs from the detectors, it will just deliver what we expect — garbage!" Sigua said.

"The solution, therefore, along Quezon Avenue is a properly maintained traffic signal system, not the U-turn scheme," he continued.

Besides Quezon Avenue, Sigua also cited the East Avenue-EDSA-Timog Avenue intersection as another area where the U-turn scheme is not the solution, saying it "forces motorists to crisscross each other’s paths and negotiate incompatible road curvatures."

"The U-turn scheme near the intersection of Commonwealth and University Avenues is another ill-designed spot, Sigua said. "The MMDA staff should try it for themselves; it is not for the faint of heart. You have to be very aggressive to be able to weave through six lanes before you reach the innermost lane. If you look at your rear view mirror while inching your way through, you would see headlight beams of vehicles speeding from the Elliptical Road!"

Another area where Sigua felt the U-turn scheme was not a thoroughly studied one is in Katipunan Avenue, also in Quezon City. He said it is ineffective "because it does not consider the peculiar characteristics of the traffic flow, which is largely influenced by high volume of cars to and from Ateneo and Miriam. In a school zone area, the safety of crossing students/pedestrians cannot be too easily sacrificed." Sigua, however, did not elaborate on the problem any further.

Apparently speaking from an engineering point of view, Sigua does not see the wisdom of the MMDA U-turn program. "They keep on saying that ‘if the U-turn scheme worked in one area, there is no reason why it will not work in other areas.’ As engineers we cannot buy that. We all know that our roads have different geometric characteristics," he stated.

"Interchanges have been constructed by the DPWH to decongest traffic in the NCR and other urban areas," Sigua continued. "Millions of pesos have been spent to provide flyovers and underpasses at critical intersections. A major component of such improvements are geometric changes at the ground level. However, it is unimaginable that within just a few months after the project’s completion, drastic changes in traffic management were allowed with no compelling reasons at all. The ground level of EDSA-Quezon Avenue Intersection with its complete channelization was already performing well and the U-turn scheme was practically unnecessary. Personally I take this as a direct insult to the capability of our engineers at the DPWH who painstakingly studied, checked and reviewed the improvement plans before implementation."

Besides traffic safety and effectiveness, Sigua also raised questions on issues of aesthetics. He cited Katipunan Avenue Extension near Corinthian Gardens as an example, saying that the islands in that thoroughfare that were not causing any traffic congestion and served its function well for street lighting and greenery purposes but have been removed. "Now that road lays so desolate and arid and by dimension looks like a runway!" he said.

But perhaps the most important aspect in Sigua’s argument is the issue of driver education. He said that by implementing the clearway program, "the MMDA has practically relegated the full responsibility for safety and order to the drivers."

"Driving for ordinary motorists has in fact become riskier than ever," Sigua stated. "It is only here in Metro Manila where stopping at a red signal becomes optional or voluntary. Where can you find a place where a U-turn has priority over straight-through traffic? Where in the world can you find a place where an internationally recognized ‘No U-turn’ sign means you can U-turn? Even the standard colors of road signs are not being followed (to think that our country is signatory to the Vienna Convention on International Road Signs in 1968)."

"(And) The scheme has actually reinforced the undisciplined behavior, especially the ‘ngusuan’ habit, of many Filipino drivers," Sigua lamented.

Montoya can, after all, truly learn a thing or two driving here. But it’s not going to be the right lesson.