As the many trials to resolve the traffic situation that the infamous EDSA has, different proposals are arising to somehow help ease or even completely eradicate the dilemma our country has.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) House Committee Chairman revealed the blueprint or the structure of a proposal that would be a synchronized and centralized bus system that would resolve the problems of the infamous EDSA.
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What is the proposal?
As per the House Committee, the proposal would be by transfiguring the thousands of buses that are on EDSA everyday. Civil Engineer and Samar Province Representative Edgar Mary Sarmiento, said that this proposal looks to turn the chaotic and rowdy city buses in EDSA into an efficient and fast mass transport system.
In addition to that, he said that this will allow people to have better options in commuting because the roads will be clearer and safer.
How would the proposed systematized bus dispatch system work?
According to the Samar Rep., the system would work like this: the innermost lane of EDSA will work as an express bus lane. This lane can and will be accessed through stations that are currently being utilized by the Metro Railway Transit (MRT) 3.
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Just like a carousel, this innermost lane will just circle and circulate around EDSA. Thus, it somehow duplicates the route of the MRT. These buses then will have loading and unloading stations, imitating the MRT-3 routes.
Sarmiento said that people who frequently ride the MRT now have the option to ride the bus, instead of forcing the MRT.
People who use the MRT can now have the option to ride the bus, which will be also operated like a carousel. The buses will only load and unload passengers in a synchronized manner at the MRT 3 stations so they are basically an extension of the MRT 3. There will be no traffic in the area because the entire inner lane from Taft Avenue to North Avenue and vice-versa will be enclosed and exclusive to the express bus lane.”
How about the private cars on EDSA?
Let’s not forget that the figure of the private cars that go through EDSA is not a joke, either. This is why Sarmiento said that the three (3) lanes at the middle of EDSA will be dedicated to all types of private vehicles. Which, of course, is subject to the current and existing vehicle reduction programs such as the plate or number coding scheme.
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Furthermore, he said that in the proposal, the outer lanes will be allowed to use by these private cars when they are only turning to an intersection. Folks, not to worry, because bus stops, in this proposal, are designed to be at least 1 kilometer (km) apart.
The outer lane of Edsa, or the yellow lane, will be used as a dedicated city bus lane which will also adopt a centralized and synchronized dispatch system. Dedicated bus stops will be established 1 kilometer apart. Loading and unloading of passengers will be strictly implemented on these bus stops.”
Would this system work to ease the EDSA traffic dilemma?
The lawmaker said that with this proposal, the express bus lane (or the lane in the middlemost part of EDSA), will be able to service passengers and commuters who ride the MRT, the city buses’ operations will be extended even further up to the Paranaque Integrated Bus Terminal (PITX) in the south and to the Valenzuela Integrated Bus Terminal in the north.
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Meaning, city buses would be traveling by using the outermost lane going to the PITX and to the Valenzuela Integrated Bus Terminal and vice-versa.
We propose this to eradicate the kanya-kanya system of the buses wherein they compete with each other creating chaos through overtaking, overspeeding and overstaying.”
The lawmaker is right; if it weren’t for these buses who stop and go wherever they want, EDSA would be peaceful and it’s really going to be very useful. This is why he said that EDSA is not just the problem our country is currently facing; this proposal is also effective in other major thoroughfares in the country.
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What do you think of the said proposal? Could this work help ease the traffic congestion that EDSA is currently having? Could this be the only answer that our traffic officers are looking for?
Source: Business Mirror
