Gradual closure of EDSA U-turn slots completed by December —MMDA

The closing of all U-turn slots along EDSA will be completed by December, according to Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) General Manager Jojo Garcia on Monday.

Garcia made the announcement on the first day of the implementation of the closure of the U-turn slots to solidify the point-to-point bus lane for buses traveling from North Avenue to Pasay City.

The bus lane has since been transferred to the leftmost part of the road since the quarantine was imposed and given the limited capacity allowed in public transportation amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“By the end of the year po ito matatapos kasi hindi pa po dumarating lahat ng barriers. Kaya unti-unti po ang pagsasara nito,” Garcia said in a Dobol B sa News TV interview.

“We already gave notice last week. Priority po talaga iyong mga bus kasi mas dadami ang commuters natin,” he added.

Garcia said that the closure of U-turn slots aims to decongest the roads in the corner of North Avenue and EDSA, considering that limiting the U-turn to Quezon Avenue will only mean around additional two minutes of travel time.

“Give us two to three days [before this can be normalized],” Garcia said amid reports that the closure of the U-turn slot in the North Avenue area has resulted in heavy vehicular traffic.

Garcia, however, said that buses which serve as shuttle services used for Oplan Kalinga and for overseas Filipino Workers are allowed not to use the bus lane since these buses do not spend a long time on EDSA.

“Ito pong shuttle services, sandali lang naman po sila sa EDSA, hindi po sila point-to-point buses,” he said.  —KBK, GMA News