MMDA Studying Measures to Ease Rush Hour Traffic in Katipunan Avenue

MANILA: The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority inspected Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City on Thursday to look into the area's traffic congestion issues as face-to-face classes resume.

MMDA General Manager Procopio Lipana stated that the organization is studying ways to reduce traffic because it has noticed the congestion in the area is getting worse, particularly during rush hours.

“We are looking at adjusting Ateneo de Manila's entrance gate for vehicles without stickers to accommodate more vehicles that would lessen traffic congestion in Katipunan Avenue,” Lipana said.

He also stated that the MMDA is looking into the utilization of the service road close to Ateneo Gate 2 for vehicles coming from Marikina. Only pedestrians use it at the moment.

According to Lipana, traffic coming from the northbound direction turning left to enter Ateneo takes up three lanes, which affects traffic going straight southbound.

“We are also mulling on limiting the lanes they use into two during rush hours by putting traffic cones,” Lipana added.

According to data from the MMDA Traffic Engineering Center, an average of 6,636 vehicles are traveling to Aurora Boulevard and 2,757 vehicles are traveling northward to Commonwealth every day between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. 

At the height of the afternoon rush hour between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., 4,854 vehicles were recorded to be traveling northbound, while 5,697 were traveling south.

The southbound portion of the area saw an increase in vehicle flow from May to August 2023 of 32% in the morning and 24% in the afternoon according to the MMDA Traffic Engineering Center.

Officials from Ateneo de Manila University, Miriam College, and University of the Philippines Diliman attended a consultative meeting with the MMDA last week, where they expressed support for alleviating traffic congestion in their respective areas.

Photos from Metropolitan Manila Development Authority

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