Fairview kids brace for heavy traffic as schools open with Regalado Avenue closed

The Quezon City government is anticipating heavier than usual traffic ahead of school opening in the northern part of the city because of the construction of Manila Metro Rail Transit System Line 7 (MRT 7).

GMA News Research identified at least nine schools in barangays North Fairview, Greater Lagro and Kaligayahan whose students will be affected by the closure of portions of Regalado Highway.

Four of these are public schools with a total student population of almost 17,000.

Regalado Highway was partly closed since April 17 as the construction of the first phase of MRT7 started.

MRT 7 is a 23-kilometer railway project that will connect Bulacan to Quezon City. The railway will have 14 stations starting in North Avenue on EDSA, passing through Commonwealth Avenue and Quirino Highway before ending in San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan.  Construction is expected to finish by 2020. 

“Magiging problema yung volume. We expect that this opening of classes,” said Dexter Cardenas, chief of the Quezon City government’s Department of Public Order and Safety.  The Department of Education had announced that classes in all public elementary and high schools will officially start on June 5.

Cardenas noted that while the usual travellers of Regalado Highway are already familiar with the alternate routes, congestion is still possible with increased travel toward schools in the vicinity.

Quezon City Administrator Aldrin Cuna said the ongoing construction in Regalado Highway is the trickiest aspect of the MRT7 construction.

"Yun ang pinaka-difficult portion as far as the MRT7 project is concerned, kasi yun po yung pinakamakipot,” he told GMA News. Cuna said the Quezon City government intends to deploy more traffic enforcers along chokepoints.

9 schools

GMA News Research mapped out at least nine schools located within one kilometer from the ongoing construction. 

Two schools—North Fairview Elementary School and North Fairview High School—are located in barangay North Fairview.

Six are in barangay Greater Lagro—Lagro Elementary School, Lagro High School, STI Fairview, AMA Fairview, Our Lady of Fatima University and OB Montessori.

The ninth school, Our Lady of Lourdes School of Novaliches, is located in barangay Kaligayahan.

 

17,000 students

Almost 17,000 students are enrolled in the public schools located in the area of the current road closure.

Two high schools in the area are among the most populous in the country. North Fairview High School and Lagro High School were ranked 18th and 19th biggest schools in terms of enrolment last school year.   

 

Barangay and school officials are bracing for the traffic jam. North Fairview barangay secretary Rodolfo Ochosa said they have already coordinated with the schools near the construction site.

“Nagsabi na kami sa kanila, sa mga schools na maaaring maapektuhan. Dapat mayroong contingency plan,” he said.   

Officials in two public schools in the area, Lagro High School and North Fairview High School, are hoping students would come in earlier, although they are expecting more latecomers this semester. 

Big public schools like North Fairview High School and Lagro High School have adopted double shifts to accommodate the enrolees. The first shift is usually at 6 am up to noon; the second shift is from noon to 6 pm.

‘Leave home at 4 a.m.’

Angelita Reyes, principal of North Fairview High School, said they will be more lenient to latecomers.  

“Wala namang magagawa kasi ang start ng klase namin ay 6 am.  Wala kaming magagawa kundi tanggapin pa rin yung mga male-late,” Reyes said. 

She noted that some of their students come from Commonwealth Avenue, Zuzuarregui Street in barangay Matandang Balara and barangay Tandang Sora.

Eva Perez, assistant to the principal for special projects in Lagro High School, said  they have asked students and parents to adjust their schedules. 

“Those coming from Commonwealth,  kinakausap namin ang magulang. Ina-advise na talagang dapat pumasok nang mas maaaga. Umalis nang mas maaga sa bahay.  Mga 4am, ganyan.”  

Reyes and Perez said their schools have refused to admit enrolees from farther places like Commonwealth or Tandang Sora just to spare the students the hassle of travel, given the expected congestion.

Students from private schools are also affected.

Jim Say, college student at the Our Lady of Fatima University in barangay Greater Lagro, said his school is now difficult to access because of the traffic rerouting scheme.

“Ang hirap pong mamasahe. Lalo po taga-Zabarte (Road)) po kami. E di naman po pinapadaan yung jeep po doon,” Say said.

Public transport, particularly buses and jeeps going to SM Fairview, are forced to ply a longer route via Quirino Highway or Belfast Street because of the partial closure of Regalado Highway. Based on the traffic plan, drivers of private vehicles traveling from Quezon Circle to Bulacan have the option of plying roads in private subdivisions like Bristol Street or Ascension Street.   

Traffic advisory

Regalado Highway is the main road connecting Commonwealth Avenue with Quirino Highway.  It is the main access road for vehicles coming from Quezon City via Commonwealth Avenue to San Jose del Monte City in Bulacan. 

Regalado Highway has four lanes per direction, but because of the ongoing MRT7 construction only one lane per direction is passable for private vehicles. Since April 17, partial closure was imposed from Commonwealth Avenue to Bristol Street, about one kilometer in length.  

In the initial traffic advisory of the Quezon City local government, road closure may be in place until August. But Quezon City officials said this can still change, depending on the progress of construction. 

Cardenas said MRT7 builders are required to consult with the local government traffic management unit before undertaking any more road diggings.  He also noted that a two-week advisory lead time before the actual road closure is a must to ensure that the commuters are properly informed.  

“Block by block yan, dapat sasabihin nila kung saan ba maghuhukay. Yung mga sites pa ay Quirino, Commonwealth. Dapat yan ay may coordination with local government.  Dapat maiplano nang maayos ang trapiko,” he said.

 

The traffic management unit of Quezon City has announced road closures related to the train construction in Regalado Highway. But supplies and equipment have been already been spotted along portions of Commonwealth Avenue, particularly near the rotonda.  Markings for the rail stations throughout the avenue are already in place. 

Commonwealth Avenue is the second busiest thoroughfare in Metro Manila.  Nearly 260,000 vehicles pass the road daily.  About 11 kilometers of Commonwealth Avenue, from Philcoa to Regalado Highway,  will be affected by the MRT  construction.  With reports from Marisol Abdurahman/NB, GMA News