MMDA: Marcos Highway gridlock due to mall sales, truck ban policies

The recent six-hour gridlock that brought Marcos Highway to a standstill was due to the simultaneous mall sales and uncoordinated truck ban policies, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said on Wednesday.

“Iyong sa nangyari naman po sa Marcos Highway, nagkasabay-sabay po iyong sale doon po sa mga malls na outside ng jurisdiction ng MMDA… So, iyon po ‘yung reason,” MMDA chairperson Romando Artes said in a Palace briefing.

(What happened on Marcos Highway was due to sales happening at the same time in malls outside the jurisdiction of the MMDA… So, that’s the reason.)

In October, the MMDA announced the implementation of mall hour adjustments in Metro Manila in anticipation of the heavier traffic volume amid the holiday season.

“Ganoon din po, hindi po coordinated kasi iyong mga truck ban sa mga LGUs po. So, kinausap na po natin sila na dapat coordinated kasi ang nangyari po. Iyong mga naipit po na hindi makapasok sa mga LGUs ay pumarada sa kalsada na nagkaroon din po ng pagsisikip,” he added.

(The same thing, the truck bans were not coordinated with the LGUs [local government units]. So, we already talked to them that what happened should have been coordinated. Those who were stuck and couldn’t enter the LGUs ended up parking on the road, which also caused congestion.)

Artes said the MMDA has coordinated with concerned stakeholders to prevent similar incidents in the future.

During the first and second weeks of December, Artes said the volume of vehicles in EDSA usually reaches 450,000 daily, in excess of the thoroughfare’s capacity at 250,000.

“Ginagawan naman po natin ng paraan, may mga adjustments po tayong ginagawa lalong-lalo na po iyong clearing ng Mabuhay Lane,” he said.

(We are making some adjustments, especially the clearing of the Mabuhay Lane.)

“It’s just that talaga pong sobra iyon volume kaya nga po ini-encourage natin iyong ating mga kababayan na gumamit po ng bus carousel at iyon pong ating MRT at mga LRTs,” it added.

(It’s just that the volume is really too much, that’s why we are encouraging our countrymen to use the bus carousel and our MRT and LRTs.) — JMA, GMA Integrated News