You might have read our story on the illegally parked SUV in the middle of Ortigas Avenue earlier this month. It happened right in front of La Salle Green Hills—an area that has long been a bottleneck zone due to the sheer number of vehicles dropping off or picking up students. That there are several other private schools in the vicinity doesn’t help the traffic situation in this area at all.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) plans to address the issue by developing a traffic management with schools, as well as tapping malls and subdivisions to reroute traffic.
“Halos sa tingin namin, one is to one yung sasakyan doon sa estudyante, or baka one vehicle for every two students, na nagke-create ng traffic dahil nakapila sila papasok ng school,” acting MMDA chairman Romando Artes said during the press conference that tackled the proposed bike lane sharing on EDSA earlier this week. “Tapos syempre may security protocols na we understand naman na kailangan ipatupad para rin sa security ng mga estudyante.”
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But while these security protocols are understandable, the effect they have on the roads outside the schools is plain to see. “Isang beses, sinasabi nila hanggang Cainta ang effect ng traffic noong dalawang lanes ang sinasakop ng isang school para pumila yung pumapasok,” Artes recalled. “And sa EDSA, lagpas pa ng [Camp] Crame. Ganun din yung isang side ng EDSA, umaabot din hanggang pa-Shaw Boulevard na yung traffic.”
Among the solutions pitched by the MMDA is to move school security checkpoints farther within the schools’ properties instead of at the entrances, so that vehicles may first enter before being inspected. This arrangement is being discussed directly with the schools.
The agency is likewise exploring the possibility of routing traffic through subdivisions. “May malalapit na subdivisions na may entrance sa school, baka pwedeng papasukin muna doon,” Artes explained. “Meron ding suggestion, like sa Greenhills, baka pwedeng yung isang kalsada, doon sila pumila at mag-antay hanggang makapasok dito sa major thoroughfares like Ortigas at EDSA, [kung saan] nag-spill over talaga at humahaba yung traffic.”
Meanwhile, across EDSA, two malls are being eyed for MMDA’s traffic management plans: “Yung SM sa Poveda, in particular, may bakanteng lote doon sa tapat ng [Asian Development Bank]. Sumulat na kami sa SM na may ari ng lupa kung pwedeng gawing holding area [or] parking with minimal parking fee.
“Yung Robinsons Galleria, gusto lang ng parents, baka mas safe na tawiran ng mga anak nila.”
“Continuous yung discussion, and we’re finding ways para ma-ease yung traffic dito sa mga lugar ng schools.”
In a Facebook post on August 30, the MMDA said it will be rolling out a new traffic scheme in the vicinity of La Salle Green Hills beginning Monday, September 4. No details have been provided yet, but we’ll keep you posted when we get more details.
