Four New Routes Added to Kalayaan Lanes Now Open for Private Vehicles

It might not totally end the traffic problem in the Philippines, but at least it will lessen traffic congestion in Metro Manila--even during the holidays.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), together with the Quezon City Government, has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to add four more routes to the existing 17  Mabuhay Lanes / Christmas Lanes that were opened in 2010.

Known as Kalayaan Lanes, these routes are open to private motorists in preparation for the upcoming holiday season. Many of them will access roads that are located near huge malls.

MMDA Chairman Ret. Gen. Danilo Lim explained: "We need to have alternate routes because we know that EDSA is already congested. There are more vehicles using that road, but it does not expand."

The following 31 roads are considered part of the Kalayaan Lanes for Quezon City that private vehicles can use:

• Amoranto Avenue
• Balintawak
• Banawe St.
• Biak na Bato
• C-5 Road
• Cloverleaf
• Commonwealth Avenue
• Congressional Avenue
• Tuazon St.
• Dapitan St.
• De Jesus St.
• Del Monte Avenue
• Rodriguez Avenue
• EDSA
• Gilmore Avenue
• Granada St.
• Katipunan Avenue
• Luzon Avenue
• Maria Clara St.
• Matimyas St.
• Mayon Avenue
• Mindanao Avenue
• Quezon Avenue
• Santolan Road
• Scout Magbanua St.
• Scout Tobias St.
• Domingo Avenue
• Timog Avenue
• Tomas Morato Avenue
• Visayas Avenue
• West Avenue

And here are the four new routes that are added to the Kalayaan Lanes in Quezon City:

Vehicles coming from SM North Avenue

1. From SM North Avenue, go straight to Quezon Memorial Circle
2. Right at Commonwealth Avenue
3. Right at University Avenue
4. Right at CP Garcia Avenue
5. Right at Katipunan
6. U-turn to UP Town Center
7. From UP Town Center, take C5 Road straight to Eastwood City then straight to Robinsons Galleria or Greenhills Shopping Mall or right at Julia Vargas to SM Megamall
8. From Megamall, vehicles should turn right at ADB Avenue, straight to Shaw Boulevard going to Starmall and Greenfield City
9. From Shaw, take Pioneer Street going to SM Light Mall or Robinsons Pioneer
10. From C5 Road, straight to BGC (Market! Market!, Bonifacio High Street, SM Aura, Up Town, and Venice Piazza)
11. From BGC, take 32nd Avenue, straight to Kalayaan flyover going to the Makati Central Business District and straight to SM Mall of Asia via Buendia Avenue and Macapagal Boulevard

Vehicles coming from SM Marikina

1. From SM Marikina, go straight to Aurora Boulevard
2. Right to Molave
3. Right at Narra Street
4. Left at Tindalo Street
5. Right to Anonas
6. Left at V. Luna Avenue
7. Left at East Avenue
8. Right at NIA Road
9. Left at BIR Road
10. Left at North Avenue to SM North or Trinoma

Vehicles coming from SM Center Point

1. From SM Center Point, take Aurora Boulevard to Araneta Avenue
2. Left at N. Domingo
3. Right at Blumentritt
4. Straight to Kalentong
5. Left at Neptali Gonzales Street
6. Left at Coronado, take Coronado Bridge to Makati Central Business District to destination

Vehicles coming from Trinoma

1. From Trinoma, turn right at BIR Road
2. Right at East Avenue
3. Left at V. Luna Avenue
4. Right at Maliksi Street
5. Straight to Kalayaan Highway
6. Right at Ermin Garcia Avenue
7. Lleft at Imperial Street
8. Straight to General Aguinaldo to Araneta Center

The MMDA will coordinate with the Quezon City authorities and village heads to make sure that the new routes will be seamless for motorists.  They will also coordinate with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Land Transportation Office (LTO), for its implementation.

“We will help each other so the lanes, the Kalayaan Lanes will be cleared of any obstacles. We know that vehicles are parked along those roads, these have to be cleared,” Lim said.

The Kalayaan lanes are additional