MMDA starts forming traffic management plan for ‘new normal’

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is preparing a traffic management plan for the so-called “new normal”. This is after the Department of Health (DOH) said that the entire Philippines is now considered low risk for COVID-19.

The MMDA expects an increase in vehicle volume

Following the DOH’s assessment, it follows that the National Capital Region (NCR) is now also considered as low risk for COVID-19. This means that more establishments and other activities are now being permitted as Metro Manila downgrades to a less stringent restriction. 

As such, vehicle volume in the capital is expected to significantly increase as several companies start to implement office-based work setups. The MMDA understands this which is why the agency is conducting a multi-stakeholder traffic summit to formulate a comprehensive management plan as economic activities continue to open in NCR.   

MMDA chairman Romando Artes said that the traffic summit’s objective is to come up with a unified traffic management plan with the participation of government agencies, private sector, transport groups, transport associations, as well as the 17 Metro Manila LGUs. 

The traffic summit officially kicked off last March 17, and is set to continue on March 22, and 24 in Quezon City.  

MMDA chairman Romando Artes speaking at traffic summit

"With the easing of restrictions in Metro Manila under Alert Level 1, we see an enormous increase in the number of vehicles and expect traffic to worsen in the coming days. "We need the help of government agencies, concerned sectors, and traffic offices to find solutions to traffic. No contribution is small or big,” Artes said during the summit’s first day.  

The MMDA noted that traffic plans and proposals will be consolidated in order to have a unified action to further improve traffic in Metro Manila.

The MMDA will present its proposed traffic management plans at the said summit. Included in the agency’s proposal is the expansion of the number coding scheme, and the re-implementation of the motorcycle lane along EDSA.  

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