09 - 01

‘Carmageddon’, ‘May Forever’, and ‘Edsa Parking Lot’ are just some of the many monikers used by motorists and commuters to describe the seemingly endless traffic woes in Metro Manila.  People spend an average of two hours every day to get to their offices and another two hours to travel back home at night.  This could take longer during the rainy season when major roads and side streets are submerged in flood waters.  In 2015, CNN dubbed Metro Manila as having the ‘worst traffic on Earth’.  They extracted the data from a GPS-based navigation app’s evaluation of traffics around the world.  Sad.

Cities and municipalities in and around Manila are never without ideas to help alleviate traffic problems for its residents.  Earlier last month, a bill that will require car owners to show proof that they have ample parking spaces, was filed by a Senator.  If approved, parking on side streets will be prohibited, unclogging alternative routes for motorists to pass through easily.  This is seen to help lessen traffic volume in main thoroughfares especially during morning and evening rush hours.

The city government of Pasig proposed to implement an odd-even traffic scheme on some of its roads in an attempt to lessen traffic in their area.  The experimental phase of the proposal took effect today, September 1, 2016.

Here is how the scheme works:

  1. Vehicles with at least 4 wheels and with plate numbers ending in even numbers are not allowed to travel Pasig streets on Mondays, Wednesday, and Fridays.
  2. Vehicles with at least 4 wheels and with plate numbers ending in odd numbers are not allowed to travel Pasig streets on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
  3. Roads covered by the traffic scheme are:
    • Elisco Road westbound;
    • R. Jabson Street northbound;
    • Intersection of Elisco Road, M. Concepcion Street, and R. Jabson Street;
    • San Guillermo Street eastbound; and
    • Sandoval Avenue northbound.

Exceptions to the rule:

  1. The scheme applies to private vehicles only.  Public utility vehicles can come and go as they please.
  2. Motorcycles are not covered as well.

The Pasig government is positive that the scheme will eventually earn the approval and appreciation of motorists.  They committed to monitor its proper implementation to maximize the experimental phase.

Source: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/579728/news/metro/pasig-odd-even-traffic-scheme-takes-effect-motorists-complain

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