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In an effort to address the traffic situation along Marcos Highway which traverses Marikina, Pasig and Antipolo cities, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will be deploying more personnel to direct and man traffic in the area, an official of the agency today said.
MMDA General Manager Tim Orbos said the agency, upon proper coordination with the newly-formed Inter-Agency Committee on Traffic Management (I-ACT), will be deputizing additional traffic personnel coming from DMCI, the private contractor of the LRT-2 extension project.
The ongoing LRT-2 extension project construction stretches from Ligaya in Pasig City to Masinag in Antipolo City in Rizal.
“We have to address and ease thetraffic situation along Marcos Highway as soon as possible with these trafficmeasures such as deployment of traffic personnel and come out with there-routing plan” Orbos said.
He said the following are there-routing schemes for Marcos Highway:
-Vehicles coming from Cubao/Katipunan to Antipolo shall take Aurora Blvd., right at Katipunan, C.P. Garcia Ave. (C5),left at Ortigas Avenue extension to destination and vice versa.
-Vehicles coming from Cubao/Katipunan to Antipolo shall take A. Bonifacio Avenue (to Marikina City proper), straight to Sumulong Highway to destination and vice versa.
-Vehicles coming from Antipolo to Quezon City shall take Ortigas Avenue extension, left at Kaytikling towards Taytay Palengke, East Bank Service Road, left at Legaspi Bridge, left at C.Raymundo to destination to vice versa.
-Vehicles from Cainta, Rizal to C-5, Quezon City from Felix Avenue left at Kagihawaan St./Magsaysay St., right at Amang Rodriguez Ave, left at Calle Industria to C.P. Garcia (C5), to destination and vice versa.
-Vehicles from Cainta, Rizal via Valley Golf to Cubao, Quezon City from Ortigas Avenue extension left Don Celso Tuazon Avenue, take Sumulong Highway to destination and vice versa.
To continuously monitor the traffic situation, Orbos said the MMDA will also install six CCTVs in strategic areas along the thoroughfare, which serves as the main gateway of vehicles coming from eastern Metro Manila as well as from the provinces of Rizal.
He said he has coordinated with the local governments concerned and other stakeholders on what other measures could be done to ease traffic along Marcos Highway.
The MMDA has also referred the matter to the I-ACT, spearheaded by the Department of Transportation, Orbos added.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade earlier designated the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group to take the lead in traffic management and enforcement, utilizing the manpower and other assets, like motorcycle units of I-ACT member-agencies, including the MMDA, Land Transportation Office, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, and Armed Forces of the Philippines.
One of the factors which worsened the traffic situation along Marcos Highway is the ongoing pavement improvements at Barangay Mayamot in Antipolo.
The snail-paced traffic along Marcos Highway was mainly due to the high volume of vehicles plying the route and the current construction of the LRT-2 extension.
Undisciplined motorists are also causing gridlock at the approach to Marcos Highway, as the vehicles tried to squeeze into the split of the two-lane Barangka Flyover going to Marikina City.