Brace yourselves, everyone. If you think Metro Manila’s traffic is bad now, well it’s about to get worse in the coming months. This warning came straight from the horse’s mouth, too.
Yesterday, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) announced in a press release that several bridges and flyovers will undergo constructions and repairs.
In a press conference, MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia said that roads will have “more than the usual traffic” because of this, The Philippine Star reported.
The construction projects include the 7-month closure of the Old Sta. Mesa Bridge which starts on Saturday next week, Sept. 15. The bridge connects San Juan City to the City of Manila.
The reconstruction of the Old Sta. Mesa Bridge is part of the ongoing Skyway Stage 3 construction which will connect Makati City to Quezon City.
Repairs on Manila’s Mabini Bridge and Nagtahan flyover will also start on the same day. Construction in these two sites is estimated to last for four months, the MMDA said.
According to The Philippine Star, Manila’s Concordia and Otis Bridges, Mandaluyong’s Sevilla Bridge, and Makati’s Tripa de Gallina Bridge are also being repaired.
While the promise of better infrastructure for the congested metropolis is something urbanites have been clamoring for, it’s difficult to imagine that traffic could still get worse than it is now.
Earlier this year, the Japan International Cooperation Agency released data showing that the Philippines loses PHP3.5 billion (US$64.9 million) a day due to the metro’s traffic. This just quantifies the struggle many Filipinos experience every day. In Metro Manila, it is not uncommon to travel 8.5 kilometers for two hours.
Making things worse is the fact that these upcoming construction projects are happening during the Christmas season, which in the Philippines traditionally starts in September and ends in January.
Good luck, to us all.
