MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) announced that Bank Drive in Ortigas Center in Pasig City is now open to private vehicles aimed to ease traffic congestion in the commercial district.
MMDA’s Traffic Engineering Center (TEC) said vehicles traversing Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (Edsa)-northbound heading Ortigas area can now access Bank Drive (road between Asian Development Bank (ADB) and SM Megamall) from 6 am to 10 am daily.
Formerly, motorists going Ortigas area pass through Guadix Drive. However, the long queue of vehicles entering the ADB compound that undergoes vehicle inspection at the Guadix gate cause bottleneck along the road, affecting Edsa-northbound.
“Guadix Road is an identified chokepoint. With this road opening, we can somehow ease traffic flow in the busy area,” said Jojo Garcia, Acting MMDA General Manager.
The road opening, in coordination with various stakeholders, aims to reduce traffic build-up along Edsa-Ortigas area during morning rush hour.
Prior to enforcement, TEC’s comparative analysis based on simulation showed that travel time on Edsa-northbound service Road along Ortigas Avenue; and Megamall to Meralco Avenue decreased by 19 percent. From seven-minutes and 41 seconds, average travel time on the said routes reduced to six-minutes and seven-seconds.
The same data showed that travel speed along Edsa-northbound service Road along Ortigas Avenue; and Megamall to Meralco Avenue increased by 25 percent. From 12 kilometers per hour (kph), average travel speed on same routes increased to 14 kph.