Skyway 3 will ease but won't solve Metro traffic, urban planner says

The P26.5-billion Skyway Stage 3 project will only alleviate the traffic situation in Metro Manila but will not solve it, an architect and urban planner said Monday.

 

“The more roads you put, the more cars you attract kaya it will never be enough if you (build more roads),” Felino Palafox Jr said in a phone interview with GMA News TV's "Balita Pilipinas" on Monday.

 

Skyway 3 will connect the North Luzon Expressway and South Luzon Expressway by 2017. It is expected to complete the Metro Manila Skyway system from Alabang to Balintawak.

 

The project will link Skyway Stage 1 at Buendia and through the junction of Osmeña Highway and Quirino Ave. towards Plaza Dilao, cross the Pasig River, then cut through behind SM Sta. Mesa towards G. Araneta Ave. From there, it will cross Aurora Blvd., E. Rodriguez and Quezon Ave. towards Sgt. E. Rivera and on through A. Bonifacio towards Balintawak.

 

The 14.8-kilometer, elevated expressway is envisioned to decongest traffic in Metro Manila, especially on C4 (EDSA), C5 (CP Garcia) and in Central Metro Manila and cut travel time from Buendia to Balintawak to 20 minutes, Makati to Quezon to 15 minutes; Makati to Manila to 10 minutes, and Makati to Sta. Mesa to 5 minutes.

 

Palafox said the government should focus on pedestrians instead of automobiles, an approach that other countries have already taken.

 

“The Number 1 priority now is walking, pedestrians. Pangalawa is bicycle. Pangatlo is public transit like buses, LRT (Light Railway Transit), MRT (Metro Railway Transit), monorails and so on. Last priority yung automobile,” he said.

 

He cited how New York widened its roads to accommodate bicycle lanes while other elevated structures also have a lane where pedestrians can bike or walk.
 

Palafox said the government should not focus on road or traffic engineering alone but also take into consideration land use and density, transportation planning, traffic engineering and traffic management.

 

“Ang nangyayari sa mga kalye natin, nagdedesign lang [ay] mga road engineers, walang input ang urban planners, walang input ang landscape architect. Kaya maraming road widening ngayon [na] maski 100-year-old yung puno, pinuputol,” he said.

 

“Kung kinonsulta ang mga urban planners o landscape architect, pwedeng traffic island yung 100-year old tree and the other side of the tree pwedeng pang bisikleta, slow moving vehicles,” he added.

 

He said the country does not have a comprehensive, integrated and interdisciplinary approach in road management.

 

Palafox further said that the government should maximize the railway system.

 

“Sa MRT, kulang tayo ng train. I'm told in the past 14 years walang nadagdag na trains. Tignan mo yung rail tracks ng EDSA, it can accommodate more trains,” he said.

 

He also said that Pasig River should be utilized as it is the “transportation corridor between Manila Bay and Laguna [de Bay]. Kasing haba yan ng EDSA.”

 

“We have missed a lot of opportunities kasi hindi lang naman good governance (ang mahalaga). Successful cities in the world have number one, political will with visionary leadership; two, good planning; and three, good governance. You cannot go straight to good governance if you do not have good planning,” said Palafox. — Amita Legaspi/JDS, GMA News