The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is implementing urgent traffic adjustments on Marcos Highway and surrounding routes to prevent a recurrence of the severe gridlock that crippled the area last Saturday night.
Following the paralyzing congestion, the MMDA has prioritized measures including adjusting U-turn slots and standardizing truck ban hours in coordination with local governments.
The gridlock on December 6, which also affected Sumulong Highway and left motorists stranded for hours, was primarily attributed by the MMDA to the high volume of vehicles generated by Christmas parties and mall sales.
Atty. Victor Nunez of the MMDA Traffic Enforcement Group acknowledged that poor enforcement at U-turn slots was a contributing factor, noting that vehicles making U-turns often occupied multiple lanes, severely impeding traffic flow.
To address the situation, the MMDA has met with the local government units (LGUs) of Pasig, Marikina, Cainta, and Antipolo. Key solutions agreed upon include the immediate reorganization of U-turn slots to better manage vehicle maneuvers, and the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to standardize truck ban hours across jurisdictions, resolving current inconsistencies.
In terms of physical infrastructure, the MMDA plans to replace existing concrete barriers with orange plastic barriers.
This modification will allow the barriers to be easily and quickly removed to accommodate sudden surges in vehicle volume or manage emergency congestion, unlike the rigid concrete structures.
The agency also recommended a separate MOA be drafted to tackle the persistent issue of illegal terminals and vendors along Marcos Highway.
The MMDA stressed that a unified approach is necessary, as current enforcement efforts by individual LGUs often only result in the illegal operations relocating to a neighboring, adjacent jurisdiction.
Meanwhile, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has stated that physical infrastructure expansion, such as road widening or new construction, is not currently feasible due to a lack of available space.
