The government on Wednesday began operating the EDSA Busway project to complement the operations of Metro Railway Transit line 3 (MRT-3) and its bus augmentation program.
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Danilo Lim said the interim operation of the EDSA Busway aims to help transport commuters in the National Capital Region amid the general community quarantine (GCQ) still being enforced to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The EDSA Busway covers stops from Monumento in Caloocan City to the Paranaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX).
Buses from Monumento to Quezon Avenue will be using the following bus stops located on the curbside for the meantime to pick-up or unload passengers: Bagong Barrio, LRT Balintawak, Kaingin Road, LRT Muñoz Station, and MRT North Avenue Station (Southbound-Loading only, Northbound-Unloading Only, MRT Quezon Avenue Station (Southbound-Loading only, Northbound-Unloading Only).
Meanwhile, retaining the existing set-up, buses will shift from using the median lanes with the partial operability of the busway section from Quezon Avenue all the way to Estrella in Makati.
Upon exiting Estrella, buses will be allowed to pick-up or unload passengers at the following curbside stops from Buendia to the PITX: Buendia, Ayala (Southbound-Unloading Only, Northbound-Loading and Unloading), Magallanes, Evangelista/Malibay, Taft Avenue (Southbound-Unloading Only, Northbound-Loading Only), Roxas Boulevard, Macapagal Avenue, SM Mall of Asia and PITX.
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Lim said 550 bus units were authorized to service the EDSA Busway. Bus operators committed to initially deploy 150 bus units starting today, he added.
“This is in addition to the buses deployed under the MRT-3 Bus Augmentation Program. No fare increase shall be implemented,” he said.
Buses will be using curbside stops until the needed bus stops (including lighting, fences, and canopies) are completed, and when the concrete barriers are placed on EDSA’s median lanes.
The Department of Transportation has procured 36,000 concrete barriers for use on the EDSA Busway. Partial delivery of the barriers will start July 2 to 7 and are expected to be completed by September this year.
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To better assist commuters, the government will also be implementing a mini-loop from Timog Avenue to Santolan.
The Timog to Santolan mini loop will be serviced by shuttles or mini-buses and will be allowed to pick up and drop off passengers at designated curbside stops.
The EDSA Busway aims to significantly cut travel time from Monumento to PITX from the usual 2 to 3 hours because of traffic, to just 45 minutes to an hour.
