MOTORISTS in Metro Manila should already expect heavy traffic starting June due to the return of face-to-face classes.
According to Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairperson Romando Artes, they have already monitored an increase in vehicular volume traversing EDSA during the past week.
“We conducted a volume count before the elections. What came out of our count was 400,000 which is in EDSA, and is 5,000 less from the pre-pandemic level of 405,000,” says Artes.
“But there were no face-to-face classes, then. That is why we expect that by June, once face-to-face classes start, traffic will be heavier because it will already breach the 405,000 pre-pandemic,” Artes added.
But Artes believes that travel will still be fast in the National Capital Region despite the heavy traffic because of the presence of the EDSA Bus Carousel, plus the bridges and the Skyway.
“We expect that travel speed is still much faster than pre-pandemic level because one, there is the effect of the bus carousel and the banning of provincial buses in Metro Manila. Also due to the various infrastructure projects especially the opened bridges and the Skyway, those will have big effects,” says the MMDA chair.
“That is why in terms of speed of vehicles, it will be faster than pre-pandemic levels although we can expect heavy traffic during rush hour,” Artes explained.
Last month, the MMDA recommended a new number coding scheme to lessen by 40 percent the vehicular volume in Metro Manila.
The Metro Manila Council (MMC) already submitted the recommendation but was not implemented on the planned May 1 date since it needed to be studied further.