Travel time on EDSA has gotten faster in May 2023 compared to 2020, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said.
As of May 2023, travel speed on EDSA was at 24.98 kph. This is higher than the 21.67 kph travel speed on EDSA in 2020, the MMDA added, according to a report by Darlene Cay on Unang Balita.
Meanwhile, the number of vehicles on EDSA increased. In 2019, more than 405,000 vehicles used EDSA daily. Latest figures showed that almost 426,000 vehicles travel on EDSA every day, the MMDA said.
The EDSA Carousel bus started on June 1, 2020 to take over the old routes of the city buses. The aim is to make commute faster for the riding public.
Despite the increased travel speed on EDSA, motorists and commuters said they don’t feel the difference.
“Ganu’n pa rin. Parang walang pinagbago. Mabigat din lalo ‘pag araw. Ngayon magaan pero mamaya mahirap na,” commuter Norwin Alas said.
(It’s still the same. It’s like nothing changed. Traffic is heavy especially during daytime. Right now traffic light but later on, it will be heavy.)
“Parang walang nagbago, ma’m. Ganoon pa rin. Pagkadating talaga ng rush hour, traffic talaga diyan eh,” rider Romeo Omanda said.
(Nothing seems to have changed, ma’m. It’s still the same. During rush hour, it’s really traffic.)
“Araw-araw lagi naman pong traffic dito. Hanggang Muñoz [Market]. Minsan umaabot pa ng Quezon Ave. Mas medyo lumala ng konti ngayon. ‘Pag umaga, grabe ang traffic sa Balintawak hanggang Kaingin [Road],” taxi driver William de Vera said.
(It’s traffic here every day, up to Muñoz [Market]. Sometimes traffic reaches up to Quezon Ave. It worsened a bit nowadays. In the mornings, traffic is heavy from Balintawak to Kaingin [Road].) —KG, GMA Integrated News
