EDSA Carousel bus project to decongest, cut travel time on roads

The commuting public will experience a more accessible, convenient, and faster mass transport system with the full implementation of the EDSA Carousel project, Chairman Danilo Lim of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said Saturday.

Lim said designating the innermost lane of Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) exclusively for buses will help decongest traffic, thus reducing travel time to and from north to south entry points of the 28.3-km highway.

“We are prioritizing the movement of more people on EDSA through a more efficient mass transport system,” he said.

The MMDA chief said they are also planning closing several U-turn slots along the stretch of the dedicated bus lane for unimpeded travel to ensure faster mobility for commuters.

“I have instructed Traffic Engineering Center to study the impact of closing the U-turn slots and find viable solutions to negate its effect,” Lim said.

He said the convenience of commuters is the topmost priority of the agency, adding that the MMDA will work on the suggestions and ideas raised by members of the House of Representatives to further improve the busway system and the infrastructures. 

House Committee on Metro Manila Development chair Manuel Luis Lopez said he and fellow lawmakers fully support the MMDA’s initiative and project that aims to lessen the burden of the riding public.

Lopez was among the lawmakers who joined MMDA and Transportation officials who traveled on board premium buses along EDSA from Monumento in Caloocan to Cubao in Quezon City while inspecting the new project.

Mark Steven Pastor, Transportation Assistant Secretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure, said: “Rest assured that while we do this as fast as we can, we also employ all the necessary safety measures.”