MMDA opens rush- hour ‘zipper lane’ to ease EDSA southbound traffic

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will open on Monday a ‘zipper lane’ or counterflow lane along the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) to ease traffic gridlock in the southbound lane during the morning rush hour (Pictured). (Photo: MMDA/ Facebook)

MANILA –The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will open on Monday a ‘zipper lane’ or counterflow lane along the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) to ease traffic gridlock in the southbound lane during the morning rush hour.

MMDA General Manager Thomas Orbos said the zipper lane will be implemented from the Main Avenue in Cubao, Quezon City to EDSA-Ortigas Flyover across Guadix-MRT Ortigas.

The lane will bypass the choke point areas of Santolan and Connecticut which usually result to traffic gridlock for left turn traffic towards Ortigas Meralco and those bound for Makati.

Its dry run will be on Friday, January 20, from 9:30a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

“We have looked into this and we found out that the traffic in opposite direction (northbound) is not as heavy on those times,” Orbos said in a press briefing Tuesday.

The U-turn slot in the middle of EDSA in Camp Crame, Santolan and flyover ramp from EDSA to Ortigas Avenue to Greenhills will be closed to traffic and will be diverted to the right side service roads in the area, benefiting the vehicles going straight to Makati area.

The agency will be deploying more enforcers to direct traffic during the enforcement of the zipper lane.

The MMDA will also intensify its clearing operations of illegally parked vehicles in coordination with barangay officials.

Orbos hopes that the implementation of the zipper lane and the ban of the provincial buses to traverse EDSA-Timog Avenue to EDSA-P.

Tuazon Boulevard from 6a.m. to 10p.m. will help decongest traffic in the major thoroughfare.

Furthermore, the MMDA hopes that improving traffic in EDSA will enable the agency to ease traffic in other major roads such as Marcos Highway and Roxas Boulevard.

“These initiatives are part of continuing efforts to further ease traffic in Metro Manila,” Orbos reiterated.