Metro Manila mayors extend dry-run of HOV scheme on Edsa

According to MMDA data, some 367,738 vehicles traverse Edsa daily, 60 percent to 70 percent of which are single occupancy vehicles. (File Photo By Judgefloro – Own work, CC0)

MANILA — The Metro Manila Council (MMC) has extended the dry-run of the high occupancy vehicle (HOV) traffic scheme along Epifanio delos Santos Ave. (Edsa).

“The dry-run of the HOV will continue as the LGUs (local government units) gather data from the inner cities of Mandaluyong, San Juan, Pasig, Taguig and Makati,” Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista said in a press briefing following a special meeting of the MMC on Friday.

The MMC meeting was prompted by a resolution issued by the Senate calling for the suspension of the scheme, which bans driver-only vehicles from traversing Edsa from North Ave. in Quezon City to Magallanes in Makati City from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. during weekdays.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is set to meet with Congress and Malacañang to present various initiatives that are being implemented to address the traffic situation in the metropolis.

The MMC is MMDA’s policy-making body, consisting of the 17 mayors of Metro Manila.

According to MMDA data, some 367,738 vehicles traverse Edsa daily, 60 percent to 70 percent of which are single occupancy vehicles.

The MMDA expects a 40-percent reduction in vehicular volume along Edsa during rush hours once the driver-only ban is fully implemented.