Is Metro Manila traffic headache unsolvable?

Vehicle coding is dead meat – not at all useful these days when you look at the traffic situation that Metro Manila has to contend with even before the sun rises and way past the midnight hour on many occasions.

First conceived in 1995, this traffic mitigation scheme (formally known as the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program) needs some real facelift or several survival aids to make it more relevant to today’s road traffic realities.

With vehicle sales up 20 percent during the first seven months of the year, equivalent to over 150,000 new units this year, no wonder the streets of Metro Manila are clogged even during the hours when the number scheme is in effect.

For sure, families that had at least one car in the past, now have a second unit that they alternately bring out to avoid being caught by the number coding regulation.

Even Makati, which strictly imposes a more severe interpretation of the number coding rule (banned cars do not have the normal “windows,” and therefore should be inside Makati before 7 a.m. and may leave only after 7 p.m.), traffic has become unbearable.

If you’re having dinner in Makati, be sure to allot an additional 30 to 45 minutes just to negotiate the traffic within the business district – otherwise, you’ll end up eating your dinner while your smarter friends are having their coffee and desert.

No “early birds”

Even the 6 a.m. “early bird” travel is not a breeze at all these days simply because there are just too many new private vehicles owned by young professionals who have found it more affordable to own their first car.

I can imagine that on their coding day, these people get up at 4:30 a.m. to be able to get their “coded” vehicles out by 6 a.m., which could already be a tight one-hour allowance before the dratted metro traffic policemen flag them down.

If these guys can afford a second car, even a decent second-hand one, I’m sure they’re thinking about acquiring one to get away from all the stress, the extra effort, the additional hours lost, and even the added fuel spending.

Thus, two decades ago when the UVVRP scheme was first hatched, and even in its amended (and somewhat confusing) form today, circumstance has negated its effectiveness. This traffic-mitigating bright idea is no longer blinking brightly, and truly does need some major reinventing today.

Mobility works

On top of the additional volume of vehicles, an economy that’s resurgent has brought about a spate of major infrastructure works – specifically new roads and more elevated railways within the metropolis. Then there’s the non-stop but nevertheless pesky road repair works and diggings by utility companies.

The NAIA interconnection project, now much delayed with its completion pushed to April 2016, has made not a few airline passengers miss their flights. Dead smack right in the midst of one of the busiest districts of Metro Manila, the project has simply been a nightmare for motorists.

Passengers flying out now add an hour to their travel time (unless they’re catching a red-eye flight) to be able to make it on time – even if they check in electronically.

The Skyway 3 project that will link the South Luzon Expressway and North Luzon Expressway starting from Buendia in Makati City to Balintawak in Quezon City via an elevated road has started and hopefully will be completed by June 2016.

Meanwhile, despite the contractor’s efforts to counteract traffic complications, vehicles passing the affected routes have reportedly doubled the time taken to get past the areas.

Just recently started is the LRT 2 line extension project, which will branch out from the Santolan, Pasig station and extend all the way to Masinag in Antipolo. This will be operational by the third quarter of 2017 and will be a mobility boon for commuters living in the Rizal area.

In the meantime, motorists using roads going into Pasig or the Ortigas business center or to any part of Metro Manila for that matter had better add more patience and hours to their normal travel time.

No improvements yet

Sadly, the existing LRT 1, 2 and 3 are still begging for better administration: more coaches, faster turnaround, no mechanical problems that lead to stoppages, and a true interconnection system for all of them.

Also needing improvement is traffic management where buses and jeepneys ply. With the increased volume of private vehicles on the road, a wayward public utility vehicle that picks up passengers on the wrong lane is sure to compound traffic flow almost instantaneously.

The Department of Transportation and Communications and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board have issued new public transportation classifications aimed at introducing alternative and additional travel options for the commuting public. But will these work?

With so many more vehicles on the road (private cars now account for about 80 percent), these new GPS-based and premium taxis, airport buses and even rapid buses will still have to compete for their space on the crowded metro roads.

Serious revamp

Aside from all the major road projects, a more serious look must be given to the overall revamp of the elevated trains. LRT 1 and 3 have undersized coaches and cramped stations, accounting for the long queues during rush hours.

Many cities have proven that an efficient train system does wonders for urban traffic management. Perhaps, with today’s technological advances and the appetite of business to invest in the economy, it is time to revisit having an underground mass transit system.

Metro Manila – which can take only so many new elevated roads, which in turn serves mainly people who have their own cars – needs a fresh look at how its citizens will be able to become better productive individuals (less stress, and more time for family and work) in terms of travel. -Rey Gamboa (The Philippine Star)