MMDA, QC Combine to Remove Illegally Parked Vehicles From EDSA

The Quezon City government worked together with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to establish special lanes dubbed 'Kalayaan Lanes,' which consists of 31 of the area’s busiest thoroughfares, throughout the city. To enhance the flow of traffic in these special lanes, the MMDA and QC governments agreed to tow illegally parked vehicles. The partnership has resulted in the towing of 10 vehicles to date.

“A joint team from the Quezon City Department of Public Order and Safety (QC-DPOS) and the MMDA swooped down Umbel Street near the approach of Hemady-Scout Tobias bridge, where the vehicles were illegally parked,” said a statement from the Mayor’s Office, in response to the vehicle owners who stormed the office to complain about their towed properties.

The towed vehicles were impounded by authorities in Roxas District on Wednesday, September 20, a day after the MMDA and QC government signed the establishment of the Kalayaan Lanes in the city.

Under the MMDA and QC memorandum of agreement, the local government will support the MMDA and the involved barangays in ensuring that the Kalayaan Lanes serve their purpose, which is to ease up traffic in the heavily congested EDSA, Metro Manila's main artery. Aside from providing towing assistance, the QC government will also post additional on-road signs, provide additional traffic enforcers, and enact ordinances agreed upon by the two parties.

Among the QC roads designated as Kalayaan Lanes are:

• EDSA
• Banawe
• Dapitan
• Maria Clara
• Matimyas
• Scout Magbanua
• Scout Tobias
• Amoranto Avenue
• Balintawak Cloverleaf
• Biak na Bato
• Congressional Avenue
• Commonwealth Avenue
• C5
• Tuazon Street
• Dapitan Street
• Del Monte Avenue
• E. Rodriguez Avenue
• Gilmore Avenue
• Katipunan Avenue
• Luzon Avenue
• Mayon Avenue
• Mindanao Avenue
• Quezon Avenue
• Santolan Road
• Santo Domingo Avenue
• Timog Avenue
• Tomas Morato Avenue
• Visayas Avenue
• West Avenue

QC officials are also expected to conduct information drives to inform the public of the enactment of Kalayaan Lanes, as well as coordinate with heads of barangays and homeowner's associations about their implementation.

The local government will also coordinate with related government agencies such as Land Transportation Office (LTO), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), and the Philippine National Police.