Edsa rehab postponed, odd-even scrapped
President Marcos on Sunday said he ordered the postponement of the P8.7-billion rehabilitation of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (Edsa) to allow the government to conduct scientific studies on measures that will alleviate the impact of the project on the public.
Following the suspension, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority on Sunday said it has decided to scrap the scheduled implementation of the controversial odd-even scheme on Edsa this month.
However, it will continue enforcing the number coding scheme on Edsa to reduce the volume of vehicles plying the over-congested major thoroughfare.
The President said he made the decision as he echoed the concerns raised by commuters about the inconvenience to be caused by the planned Edsa rehabilitation.
“It seems that with the planned Edsa rehabilitation, a lot of [our people] are worried and may be saying, ‘if our commute to our work is already too long—will add an hour, two hours—then it’s over, we would no longer go home,’” he said.
“Additionally, we have identified new technologies that we are not currently utilizing in the Edsa rehabilitation planning,” he said.
New technology
Mr. Marcos made the announcement during the launch of the Family Fare 1+3 promo, which offers free rides to members of the family on Sundays on Metro Manila’s three train lines.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) was to start the Edsa roadworks in the middle of this month.
Called the Edsa Rebuild project, it will involve the replacement of nearly the entire 24-kilometer stretch of Metro Manila’s busiest thoroughfare to ease traffic congestion, enhance safety, and prolong the road’s lifespan.
Among the planned works include concrete reblocking and laying of new asphalt on damaged portions, road widening and sidewalk improvements, drainage upgrades, improvement of lighting and signage, and bridge and flyover maintenance.
The President admitted that government planners failed to use “new technology” in setting up the blueprint for the rebuilding of Edsa.
“So I instructed [Transportation] Secretary Vince Dizon and Secretary Manny Bonoan of the DPWH. I said, ‘let’s pause for now with our rehabilitation. Let’s not do it now because we are looking at the cost-benefit analysis,’” he said.
He did not disclose what “new technology” the DPWH and Department of Transportation are set to use to improve their implementation of the project.
“It would indeed be great if we could fix [Edsa], but the huge sacrifice of two years—that is too [long],” the President said, adding that the government would instead attempt to make the rehabilitation period shorter.
“So, let’s study, let’s make a good plan so that instead of two years, we can do it in six months, we can do it in one year, whatever it is, let’s see,” he said. —WITH A REPORT FROM TINA G. SANTOS
