MMDA to recoup $2-B lost to traffic mess

Traffic problems in Metro Manila have cost the government $2 billion in economic losses.

Citing a study made by the World Bank, Chairman Francis Tolentino of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Wednesday said that the losses could be recouped in part by the odd-even scheme for vehicles that he has decided to revive.

The study, which was completed in August 2009 but was made public only now, showed that heavy traffic along Edsa and other major thoroughfares in Metro Manila (National Capital Region or NCR) was “estimated [to be] costing the economy at least P277 million daily, or approximately $2 billion a year in terms of lost man-hours, which averaged about 41 minutes per worker.”

Tolentino said that the World Bank study and others made on the subject, including that by the University of the Philippines in Quezon City, had prompted him to resurrect the odd-even scheme, although he knew that the revival would draw negative reactions from concerned motorists.

The scheme, according to him, eventually will reduce traffic by 50 percent on Edsa alone.

“Only Edsa is affected by the scheme. Other major thoroughfares are exempted. We are talking only of a 24-kilometer stretch, including the additional Edsa ending in SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City,” Tolentino said.

According to the MMDA chairman, the main roads of Metro Manila are 3,861 kilometers long and he was just asking for the 24 kilometers of Edsa, which stretches from Calocan City in the north to Pasay City in the south.

Tolentino said that the Odd-Even Vehicular Volume Reduction Program from November 15, 2010 to January 15, 2011 needs concurrence from the Metro Manila Council (MMC), the MMDA’s governing body composed of the mayors of the 17 local governments comprising Metro Manila.

The program will be presented at an MMC meeting that will be held tomorrow at Quezon City Hall.

An MMDA study also showed that the resurrection of the odd-even scheme would result in dramatic reduction of traffic congestion that, in turn, would facilitate easy access to business districts and other destinations.

“This [revival] may also translate to increased productivity as less time will be wasted idling in traffic, thus, more time will be devoted for more productive endeavors and at the same time facilitate the efficient flow of goods and services,” the study said.

Tolentino mentioned the two variations of the vehicular volume reduction program—one would implement the odd-even program from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and the second, from 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Another alternative, the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program (UVVRP), or “number-coding” scheme, will be imposed on all vehicles, including public buses that currently are exempted from this program.

Apart from improved socio-economic activities and productivity, as cited by the 2009 World Bank study, other possible gains from the odd-even program are:

Reduced travel time and vehicle operating cost. Traffic-simulation studies also showed that currently, average speed along Edsa during peak hours is at 30.75 kilometers per hour. With the odd-even program, average speed can increase by as much as 67 percent to 51.29kph.

Better physical and mental health. Less time spent in traffic reduces exposure to harmful emissions and stress.

Carbon emission reduction and less air pollution. Traffic improvement will result in increased fuel efficiency and cleaner air.

Under the two variations, the odd-even program will replace the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program or number coding scheme for the entire stretch of Edsa but the UVVRP still will be in effect outside this area and cover all types of privately owned vehicles and city/ provincial buses.

There will be no provision for “window” hours for the first variation.

Odd-numbered vehicles with license plates ending in 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 shall not be allowed to ply Edsa on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Even-numbered vehicles with license plates ending in 2, 4, 6, 8 and 0 will be banned on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Vehicles banned from Edsa under the odd-even program may pass through side streets or cross Edsa, provided that they are not banned under the number coding scheme.

If they are banned under the coding scheme, the vehicles may pass side streets or cross Edsa during the window hours.

The MMDA will publish alternate routes for motorists.

Exemptions under the number coding scheme will also apply to the odd-even program.

In response to comments that the program would only transfer the traffic congestion from Edsa to the side streets, the MMDA chairman further cited a study conducted by the University of the Philippines’ National College of Transport Studies.

The study found that even under the current number coding scheme, private-vehicle lanes on Edsa have breached their maximum carrying capacity.

Thus, while the UVVRP had reduced traffic, it could not entirely solve the traffic congestion.

Tolentino also cited a study conducted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency that showed that Edsa could physically accommodate up to 1,600 buses.

Currently, 3,600 franchised buses ply EDSA.

Tolentino said that the MMDA would coordinate with concerned local governments to clear alternate routes of obstruction and other nuisances.

To dispel public perception that his office and other concerned government agencies had not exhausted their efforts in traffic enforcement, Tolentino announced that they have prohibited diggings by water
companies on weekdays.

He also announced that they have formed teams composed of traffic enforcers from the Land Transportation Office, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and MMDA to monitor Edsa choke points during peak hours; deployed female traffic enforcers; and deputized citizen volunteer groups to assist in traffic enforcement.

“We welcome other ideas from our citizen-stakeholders and look forward to a healthy and fruitful dialogue aimed at solving this pressing [traffic] problem that has severely affected our economic, financial and physical well-being,” Tolentino said.

He added that the MMDA is doing its part to improve traffic enforcement but that “radical measures” may be needed to solve the problem. –SAMMY MARTIN REPORTER, Manila Times