GMA opens 4 Commonwealth Avenue footbridges

MANILA, Philippines - President Arroyo led officials of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) in opening four new footbridges along the 12.4-kilometer Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City yesterday.

The footbridges are located in front of the UP Ayala-Technohub area, in front of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) complex, at the Tandang Sora intersection and in front of the Puregold store.

According to the MMDA, the UP-Ayala Technohub and INC footbridges were completed last Feb. 26 while the ones at Tandang Sora and Puregold were completed on Jan. 12.

MMDA Chairman Oscar Inocentes said all four footbridges were built at a total cost of P62.79 million and would accommodate an average of 49,946 pedestrians daily.

Inocentes said there are now 59 steel footbridges at critical intersections and major thoroughfares in Metro Manila. An average of 2.4 million pedestrians use these footbridges daily, the MMDA said.

Considered as the widest highway in the country, Commonwealth Avenue has width of 95 meters and spans 10 to 18 lanes.

Dubbed as the “killer highway” due to the number of pedestrians killed while crossing it, Commonwealth Avenue starts from the Quezon Memorial Circle inside the Elliptical Road and passes through Philcoa, Tandang Sora, Balara, Batasan Hills and ends at the Quirino Highway in Novaliches.

“Now we can dispel the myth that Commonwealth Avenue is a ‘killer highway’ because of numerous accidents involving motorists and pedestrians in the past. It is now safe to cross this highway,” Inocentes said.

Inocentes also said the footbridges not only keep pedestrians safe, they also promote commerce.

“Our footbridges not only provide safer means for the pedestrians to cross the streets but it also help promote commerce by improving access to commercial areas and government offices,” Inocentes said.