The volume of vehicles in the streets of Metro Manila has relatively increased as quarantine restrictions started to ease earlier this year. With limited capacity on public transport as well as the threat brought upon by the COVID-19, private vehicle owners opt to use their respective cars to get to and from their destination.
MMDA traffic monitoring data in EDSA
According to the traffic monitoring of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), there were 390,238 vehicles that drove along EDSA last October 7, 2021. The said number is close to the volume of vehicles that drive on the said thoroughfare during the pre-pandemic period. The MMDA said that on July 8, 2019, there were 405,882 vehicles that drove along EDSA, a difference of 15,644 cars as compared to October 7, 2021 data.
The data shared by the MMDA indicates that the vehicle volume in EDSA is indeed starting to catch up as to what it was like before COVID-19 struck the country. The reason behind the increase of vehicles on the road can be attributed to several factors.
One of which is that more businesses, industries, and companies have started to open up once again, which requires their workforce to report on-site. Last 2020, traffic along EDSA as well as in other parts of Metro Manila is light since most of the individuals are working from home.
The volume of vehicles along EDSA is increasing [Photo: patrickroque001]
The volume of cars along EDSA could still increase as the country enters the Ber months, approaching the Christmas season. Moreover, Metro Manila has shifted to a more relaxed quarantine alert level status. The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) has placed Metro Manila under Alert Level 3 until October 31, 2021, which could translate to more cars on the road.
The MMDA has started to bring back the Mabuhay Lanes to address the increasing volume of cars along EDSA. The agency is urging motorists to use the Mabuhay Lanes as an alternative route to EDSA.
DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade urges private car owners to take public transport
On the other hand, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade believes that public transportation is one of the solutions in decongesting traffic along EDSA. Tugade previously encouraged private car owners to take public transport instead of traveling around the metro using their personal vehicles.
Despite the increasing volume of vehicles along EDSA, the MMDA said that the average travel speed from Monumento to Roxas Boulevard is currently better. The current average speed is said to be 23.4 km/h as compared to the previous 11 km/h.
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