MMDA lifts truck ban on alternative Metro routes

MANILA, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), acting on a resolution by the Metro Manila Council (MMC)- its policy-making arm- suspended the truck ban hours on alternative Metro routes from June 10, 2014 to Dec. 10, 2014.

With the resolution, the MMDA suspended the implementation of the truck ban hours (6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and then again from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.) on selected alternative truck routes, except on Fridays. The alternative truck routes were identified by the MMDA as those which links Manila’s Port Area to the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) and the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX).

Selected as alternative truck routes are (From Port Area to SLEX): from Road 10 to Roxas Boulevard to the Cavite Expressway (Cavitex), from Roxas Boulevard to Qurino Avenue to Osmena Boulevard to the SLEX, from Cavitex to Roxas Boulevard and the Port Area, from SLEX to Osmena to Quirino.

(From Port Area to NLEX): From Bonifacio Drive to C3 Road to A. Bonifacio Avenue to NLEX. (From NLEX to Port Area): Balintawak to A. Bonifacio to C3 Road to R-10 Road to the Port Area.

The MMC, in a four-page resolution, also allowed trucks coming from the Port Area in Manila to use a designated lane in the 7.6 km stretch of Roxas Boulevard except on Fridays.

According to the MMC, there is a need to modify the Metro’s truck ban hours to decongest the Port Area that has already reached its full capacity level after Manila implemented its truck ban last Feb. 24.

The Manila daytime truck ban is enforced from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. with a window period of between 10 p.m. and 3 p.m.

According to the MMDA, there are 79,850 trucks and 13,615 trailers on the roads of Metro Manila everyday.

Along Roxas Boulevard, trucks will only be allowed to use the innermost lane with the one-lane policy at any given time to be strictly observed. According to the MMDA, the truck lane along Roxas Boulevard will be clearly marked as such by the Department of Public Works and Highways.

The MMDA said the daily truck ban hours will remain in effect along EDSA and the other roads not identified as alternative truck routes such as the C5 Road, Katipunan Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue.