MMDA to use plastic barriers to discipline motorists on EDSA

MANILA, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is poised to install plastic barriers on the southbound lane of EDSA from Shaw Boulevard to Guadalupe in a bid to discipline motorists using the highway during this Christmas season.

According to MMDA Chairman Emerson Carlos, the use of plastic barriers on that portion of EDSA as well as the use of concrete barriers at EDSA's portion at Connecticut in San Juan, would help deter swerving motorists.

Carlos said concrete barriers at Connecticut will discourage vehicles coming from Connecticut from swerving to the Meralco flyover.

He added that plastic barriers installed from Shaw Boulevard to Guadalupe will separate the bus lanes and deter private vehicles from using the lanes and also prevent buses from using private vehicle lanes.

"Ang paglagay ng barriers na ito is to curb behavior of public.  We have been saying all along that in order to move people, we have to encourage them from leaving their private cars and use public utility vehicles. So if you put a plastic barrier for the use of public utility buses, you would make buses move. And this would encourage them to choose buses rather than bring their cars, especially during the holiday season," he said.

Meanwhile, Secretary to the Cabinet Rene Almendras said the use of barrier separators on EDSA was suggested by the business community.

"They (business community) kept on insisting that it was the buses that were causing the problem so if you remember they made a public announcement na dapat i-separate yung public utility buses from the cars so I think this is going to answer that question. We will do it, and well see what happens. We actually think it will improve the flow of the buses more than the cars’.  But that’s the whole point. We want to encourage the high occupancy vehicles to move faster. So that’s why we are going to do it.  And were doing it with the plastic barriers before we put the cement separators, then we can adjust accordingly,” he said.

Almendras said the dates for the installation of the barriers on EDSA will still have to be set.

"We’re not yet set with the dates because as I said this needs to be aligned to anew bus service that we want launched to augment. Para may alternative po. Para people will hopefully decide it’s more convenient to ride the bus than to bring their cars,” he said.

With the plastic barriers in place from Shaw Boulevard to Guadalupe, two lanes will be for use by buses while the other three lanes will be for private vehicles.

“We are really very constrained by what we now call is the Guadalupe problem. We sort of addressed most of EDSA concerns. Lahat ng northbound, except for Cubao, everything north medyo maganda na ang takbo," Almendras said.