The Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) wants the government and infrastructure groups to prioritize investments in mass transit systems while building more resilient, inclusive, and environment-friendly urban infrastructure for generations to come.
MAP noted that traffic congestion has long been the bane of Metro Manila commuters and motorists traversing the horrific gridlock along EDSA, the main thoroughfare.
Even proposals for elevated toll roads, flyovers and skyroads cannot are of not much help to alleviate mobility hurdles, it added.
“Having elevated toll roads is a quick fix that may offer traffic relief, albeit short term, as they ultimately fail to address the underlying issues of sustainability, equity, and environmental impact,” MAP said in a statement.
Elevated toll roads come at a significant cost since it will cause massive congestion and disruption at the ground level during and after construction that will add to the already heavy cost to society, the economy, and the environment, the group added.
Elevated toll roads prioritize private vehicle usage, perpetuating car-centric urban planning, and exacerbating issues of inequality in access to transportation.
Citing the Braess Paradox and the induced demand phenomenon, the group emphasized that adding more road space encourages more cars to ply the roads and populate new road spaces with severe traffic congestion.
Investments in mass transit systems presents a far more viable and sustainable solution to the mobility challenges, MAP said.
The mass infrastructure will be in consonance with the NEDA National Transport Plan (NTP) and the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) Holistic Plan for traffic and transportation, wherein mass transportation is prioritized to move people, not cars.
MAP explained that a well-designed mass transit network, including efficient bus rapid transit (BRT) systems, light rail transit (LRT), and metro systems are proven more effective to ferry more people reducing road congestion by drastically reducing private car usage.
Less vehicles on the road will minimize greenhouse gas emissions, improving air quality, it added. On the other hand, mass transit serves the broader population, benefiting everybody in the social
strata and democratizing access to efficient mobility options unmatched by elevated roads.
Moving forward, MAP said transit-oriented development around mass transit hubs can also promote walkable neighborhoods, reduce urban sprawl, and preserve green spaces.