MMDA to Ban Provincial Buses on EDSA on Weekdays

Starting on July 15, provincial buses will be banned from EDSA on weekdays as simultaneous road works will be conducted in various parts of Metro Manila.

The Metro Manila Council, the policy-making body of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), has issued a resolution banning all provincial buses from operating along EDSA--from Pasay City to Cubao in Quezon City, both northbound and southbound--from 5 a.m. until 10 a.m. and from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m., from Monday to Friday, with violators to be fined PHP2,000.

"All provincial buses from the north can traverse EDSA only until Cubao while provincial buses from the south can traverse only until Pasay during morning and afternoon 'till late evening rush hour during weekends," said MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia during a press briefing. "We expect to reduce by 2,000 provincial buses traveling along EDSA once the regulation is implemented."

The resolution was put in place by the agency as various road works will be done in various locations along the metropolis starting this July.

Among these projects are the North Luzon Expressway Drainage Enhancement Project along A. Bonifacio Road beginning July 1, the construction of an elevated guideway for the Metro Rail Transit 7 (MRT-7) along North Avenue beginning July 2, an emergency leak repair on a large mainline in the EDSA-Shaw Boulevard area starting July 7, and the replacement of the Buendia Bridge sometime this month.

"We acknowledge that these projects will cause heavy traffic all-year-round but we cannot compromise the safety of the motorists," added Garcia. "If there is an urgent need to do these road projects simultaneously, then we will give the necessary clearances."