A lawmaker on Sunday made a pitch for a road tunnel underneath EDSA as a way to solve congestion on the main thoroughfare.
“We would urge the Department of Public Works and Highways to look into the feasibility of constructing under Edsa a dual-purpose channel patterned after Kuala Lumpur’s SMART,” said Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo.
“Since we can no longer widen Edsa, the only options left are to put up an elevated road above and alongside the Metro Rail Transit 3, as proposed by SMC, or build a new motorway below Edsa,” Romulo said.
Malaysia built its four-lane, double-decked Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel or SMART—a key national project—at a cost of $515 million.
SMART is basically a 4-kilometer motorway and 9.7-kilometer flood control system in one.
Under normal conditions without any rainfall, the tunnel serves as a road for light motor vehicles.
During the wet season, the tunnel has two modes. In the first mode, with light rainfall, some floodwater may be diverted into the lower bypass channel, while the upper section remains open as a motorway.
In the second mode – during heavy rains – even the upper channel is temporarily closed to all motor vehicle traffic and automated water-tight gates are opened to divert floodwaters.
After the flooding, the tunnel is cleaned via pressure-washing, and the motorway is reopened to traffic, usually within 48 hours of closure.
Meanwhile, an official from the ride-sharing company Angkas said traffic in the Philippines has become so huge that one agency cannot hope to solve it alone.
At the recent Roads and Traffic Expo, Angkas Chief Transport Advocate George Royeca emphasized the importance of collaboration between the public and private sector in providing better transport options.
