Lawmaker’s ‘drastic’ proposal: Turn EDSA, C-5, Roxas Blvd into one-way highways

To ease the worsening traffic situation in Metro Manila, a lawmaker is proposing a one-way scheme for its three major thoroughfares.

Samar Representative Edgar Sarmiento proposed to turn Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (Edsa), C-5 Road, and Roxas Boulevard into purely one-way highways.

Edsa should be turned into a purely northbound superhighway from Caloocan to Pasay City with bi-directional service roads on its opposite sides that will be for the exclusive use of the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS), Sarmiento said.

"To accommodate northbound vehicles coming from Pasay City, Parañaque and Cavite, portions of Roxas Boulevard passing through C-3 and C-4 would be also turned into a one-way highway," the lawmaker said.

He also suggested that C-5 road -  which will be also turned purely as a northbound expressway - to be used by vehicles coming from Muntinlupa and Laguna going northbound to Quezon City, Bulacan and Pampanga.

"In the absence of needed infrastructure and efficient public transportation system such as elevated highways and subways, traffic managers should now consider adopting the 'one-way-all-the-way' scheme similar to what is being used in New York City," Sarmiento said.

The lawmaker is also proposing to use the Light Rail Transit and Metro Rail Transit terminals as loading and unloading stops for the BRTS.

"This will augment the capacity of our mass railway transit system, since passengers who will not be accommodated in the trains have the option to use the BRT system," Sarmiento said.

He added that provincial buses should no longer be allowed to use EDSA and instead, terminals should be placed on its southern and northern edges to cater to provincial passengers.

Bus companies that operate the BRTS will be asked to provide buses to carry passengers to and from the southern and northern provincial bus terminals.

Sarmiento said his proposal might look "too drastic."

However, he emphasized that "at the rate things are going, Metro Manila's traffic problem could get really out of hand once the government starts constructing other big ticket projects in Metro Manila such as the proposed Metro subway system and the additional elevated train systems."

"It is better to consider drastic solutions than continue to lose P3 Billion daily in economic productivity due to traffic congestion," he said.

"Imposing a moratorium on the purchase of new cars or banning sales during weekdays is also counterproductive as this will limit economic activity," he added. —Ted Cordero/ALG, GMA News