Metro Manila’s recent shift down to Alert Level 1 and the rise in vehicle volume that accommodated it showed us that traffic isn’t going away any time soon. But is building more roads truly the solution to this problem?
Well, the Philippine government thinks so. According to a new report by Inquirer.net, finance secretary Carlos Dominguez recently bared plans for as many as 12 new bridges crossing National Capital Region (NCR) waterways.
Dominguez said that three of these bridges are already set to begin construction in the first half of 2022, thanks to a $175.1 million (over P9 billion) loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The Homeowner’s Drive–A. Bonifacio Bridge, the Kabayani Street–Matandang Balara Bridge, and the Marcos Highway–Saint Mary Avenue Bridge are all scheduled to be completed by 2026.
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The structures will be resilient to earthquakes and floods, Dominguez added. What’s more, they are expected to create employment opportunities and aid economic recovery, too.
“With their high multiplier effect and job-generating potential, investments in infrastructure will be the engine for our rapid economic recovery,” Dominguez said.
“Although we have 30 bridges across major waterways of Metro Manila, they are insufficient to efficiently move vehicular traffic. Thus, we are planning to build 12 more iconic bridges in Metro Manila over the medium term.”
Do you think building more bridges over the likes of Pasig River and Marina River is the key to solving our traffic problems? Or do you see these plans as band-aid solutions meant to help keep our road system up with our ever-rising car sales?
