Dry run for exclusive motorcycle lane on Commonwealth starts March 9

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA)  announced that it will be holding a dry run for implementing the exclusive motorcycle lanes on Commonwealth Avenue. This will start on March 9, 2023, and will end on March 19, 2023.

This dry run will help motorists become familiar with the new policy

Running from the Quezon City Elliptical Road to Doña Carmen Subdivision, the exclusive motorcycle lane is the third lane from the said road’s sidewalk. Note that the necessary markings for the exclusive motorcycle lane on Commonwealth Ave. were prepared back in 2022. 

This follows MMDA Resolution No. 22-15 which states that the third lane of Commonwealth Ave. is designated as an exclusive motorcycle lane. The second lane meanwhile is for public utility vehicles, and the first or outermost lane (nearest to the sidewalk) is exclusive for bicycles. Private vehicles are then assigned to the remaining lanes.

At an event launching the UP-Ayala Technohub footbridge in Quezon City, MMDA Acting Chairman Atty. Romando Artes said this dry run would help introduce the policy to motorcycle riders and other motorists.

Artes further added that motorists will not be apprehended during the dry run period. On the day after March 19, however, the MMDA will strictly enforce the exclusive motorcycle lanes. Motorists that are found to have violated the exclusive motorcycle lane policy will be fined Php 500. 

Why the need for the new, exclusive motorcycle lane? Well, according to the MMDA’s Metro Manila Accident Reporting and Analysis System (MMARAS), Commonwealth Ave. saw a total of 1,685 motorcycle-related accidents in 2022. Out of that figure, 13 cases were fatal, 930 cases involved non-fatal injuries, and 743 cases resulted in damage to property.

The old motorcycle lane was marked by broken lines. [Photo: Patrickroque01, 2018]

To this end, many entities like the MMDA itself, as well as the 1-Rider Partylist, have sought out a means to reduce the instances of motorcycle-related accidents. According to the MMDA, the implementation of an exclusive motorcycle lane is one way that might achieve this goal.

As a side note, a motorcycle lane for the road in question isn’t new. The old setup, however, was not exclusive in nature so vehicles other than motorcycles were permitted to use the said lane. 

The old motorcycle lane was also narrower, and its markings comprised broken blue lines. The new exclusive motorcycle lane meanwhile, is much wider and is marked by solid continuous blue line.

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