The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is constantly looking at how it can make traffic flow better in the National Capital Region (NCR). Aside from conducting clearing operations, the agency has also proposed two number coding schemes.
Vehicle volume in EDSA, and generally in NCR, has increased due to the shift to a less stringent Alert Level 1 COVID-19 status. As more individuals start to return to an office-based work setup and more establishments are permitted to operate, the traffic situation in Metro Manila is reverting back to pre-pandemic levels.
The MMDA is proposing an odd-even number coding scheme as one of the options to address the increasing vehicle volume in NCR. MMDA chairman Romando Artes said that the odd-even number coding can reduce traffic by 50 percent.
The said scheme bans vehicles with plates ending with odd numbers (1, 3, 5, 7, 9) to use public roads on Monday and Thursday from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Vehicles with plates ending with even numbers (2, 4, 6, 8, 0) will not be allowed on public roads on Tuesday and Friday from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
All vehicles are allowed to use public roads every Wednesday, or simply put, number coding will be lifted on Wednesdays if the said proposal is approved.
Other than the odd-even scheme, the MMDA also has a second proposal that is seen to reduce traffic by 40 percent. However, the second proposed number coding scheme is quite complicated but it will still ban vehicles from driving along public roads for two weekdays. The MMDA has included the scheme listed below as part of its proposal in regards to number coding:
- Monday: plates ending in 1, 2, 3, 4
- Tuesday: plates ending in 5, 6, 7, 8
- Wednesday: plates ending in 9, 0, 1, 2
- Thursday: plates ending in 3, 4, 5, 6
- Friday: plates ending in 7, 8, 9, 0
The MMDA is proposing two new number coding schemes to help curb traffic in NCR. The agency added that the current number coding only reduces vehicle volume by 20 percent.
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