The EDSA rehabilitation project is expected to kick off next month on June 13, 2025. The project is expected to be completed by 2027, as confirmed by Secretary Manuel Bonoan of the Department of Public Works and Highways in a press conference earlier today.
Southbound and northbound lanes will be closed in segments throughout the project, which the government has acknowledged will inevitably worsen the congestion on our roads. To help improve the flow of traffic, the DPWH, joined by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and the Department of Transportation, outlined several solutions that they plan to implement during the rehabilitation of EDSA—or, as the government puts it, the reconstruction of the thoroughfare.
The three agencies also stressed that the EDSA Busway will remain operational throughout the project and have a dedicated lane to ensure its efficiency and speed. And that brings us the first solution.
1) 100 additional buses for the EDSA Busway
Vince Dizon of the DOTr said that up to 100 additional units will be added to the EDSA Bus Carousel system to encourage more people to take the bus and accommodate the possible influx of commuters.
“Para magkaroon ng alternative ang mga kababayan natin, mas dadagdagan yung mga bus, para imbis na magsasakyan ay magba-Busway na lang,” he explained.
MMDA’s Romando Artes added that provincial buses, trucks, and other big vehicles will be allowed to use EDSA only from 10pm to 5am.
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2) More four-car trains for the MRT-3
Currently, the MRT-3 line uses 20 trains from the previous 18, but Dizon said they will find a way to accommodate even more passengers by adding more trains. Four-car units, in particular, will be prioritized.
Dizon also discussed plans to manage the foot traffic and speed up the passenger queues at MRT-3 stations. “Sa mga darating na linggo, ikukumpleto na natin yung pagtanggal ng X-ray [security check] para bumilis na bumulis ang pila sa ating mga MRT stations,” he said, adding that a dry run of this is already being conducted at the Taft Avenue and North Avenue stations.
3) Free Skyway Stage 3 toll
To give motorists an alternative route during the EDSA rehabilitation, the DOTr, the Toll Regulatory Board, and San Miguel Corporation have agreed to waive toll fees on certain sections of Skyway Stage 3.
While work on the southbound Guadalupe phase of EDSA will begin in June, Dizon clarified that the waived toll fees will likely take effect sometime between July and August.
“Gagawin nating libre ang toll sa Skyway Stage 3—yung segment lang kung saan na de-detour yung sasakyan na di na sila kailangan dumaan sa EDSA [at] aakyat nalang sila sa Skyway,” said Dizon. “Ifa-finalize na natin yan sa coming weeks and months,” Dizon said.
“Di naman kailangan gawin now kasi mag-mo-mobilize pa naman ang DPWH, pero kapag nagsimula na yung kasagsagan ng construction maybe in a month or two—sometime in July or August—dun magsisimula maglibre yung toll sa Skyway.”
Artes later commented that when toll fees were lifted during the opening of Skyway Stage 3, the number of cars on EDSA lessened by about 10-20%.
4) Implementation of odd-even scheme on EDSA
Artes also announced that a 24-hour, odd-even scheme will be implemented on EDSA throughout the rehabilitation project. Here is the proposed implementation of the odd-even scheme:
- Banned on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays: Vehicles with plates ending in 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9
- Banned on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays: Vehicles with plates ending in 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8
All cars may use EDSA on Sundays.
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“Ito po ay ginagawa natin dahil expected po with this scheme ay magkakaroon po ng 40% reduction of vehicles sa EDSA,” Artes said. “Again, sa mga roads aside from EDSA, kung ano po ang number coding scheme sa ngayon, yun pa rin po ang mag-go-govern.
“Bakit po natin ito ginagawa? First, with the implementation ng toll-free policy ng DOTr sa [Skyway Stage 3], ito po ay ma-di-distribute namin ang sasakyan. Yung mababawas po sa EDSA due to the odd-even scheme, pwede po gumamit nitong free toll.” This will make the cost of waiving toll fees more manageable for SMC.
5) Road clearing operations along Mabuhay Lanes
The three agencies will also be providing a list of alternate routes that motorists may take to avoid using EDSA. And after being directed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to make these new routes accessible and clear, the MMDA will be rolling out stricter and more consistent road-clearing programs.
Artes then proclaimed that the agency will be apprehending violators everyday: “May mga program naming pinag-usapan kung paano gagawin yan to make sure na araw-araw po manghuhuli kami sa lahat po ng Mabuhay Lanes,” Artes said.
6) Possible shared lanes for bicycles and motorcycles
Artes brought up the conversion of the current EDSA bike lane into a shared lane for bicycles and motorcycles—although this is up for discussion with both motorcyclist and cyclist groups.
“Basically, ang mangyayari po, tatanggalin yung mga bike lane separators sa ngayon na nandiyan po sa rightmost [lane] na ginagamit po para maging exclusive yung bike,” Artes said, adding that motorcyclists will be prohibited from using the underpasses and overpasses on EDSA.
“Liliit po kasi yung mga lanes,” he continued. “Alam naman po natin na yung mga motor po ay nag-i-i-split ng lane, meaning dumadaan po sila sa pagitan ng mga sasakyan. Kung masyado pong maliit yung espasyo, yan po ang pagmumulan ng aksidente na, again, makakadagdag sa pagbigat ng daloy ng traffic—yung from right, pipiliting kumaliwa para bumaba ng underpass o pumanhik ng overpass.
“Kaya po pakikiusapan po natin sila na during construction po ng EDSA, ay shared lane muna po itong bike lane, yung outermost lane, para doon po muna silang lahat, for safety and traffic management purposes.”
