Full Stretch of EDSA Will Be Rehabilitated in 2025: DPWH

(SPOT.ph) The chaos of Christmas traffic might be over, but that feeling of relief might just be short-lived as the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is set to finally tackle the wear and tear of Metro Manila’s busiest road. We're talking about none other than our favorite EDSA, of course.

According to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Vince Dizon, rehabilitation works will begin by mid-June—but don’t worry, the EDSA Bus Carousel will remain operational.

Decades of exposure to heavy vehicles and insufficient maintenance have left the 23.8-kilometer stretch with cracks, potholes, and uneven surfaces. Thus, the rehabilitation project will cover the entire length of EDSA—a daunting task given over 421,000 cars pass this road every day, according to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority’s (MMDA) latest figures in September 2024.

“Ang gusto ni presidente we have to improve the riding quality of EDSA. Kasi sa ngayon, pag dumaan ka EDSA, minsan mahihirapan ka magtext sa kalog ng sasakyan. It’s about time we rehabilitate EDSA once and for all,” DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan said in a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon interview on January 8.

 Despite the scale of the work, the DPWH is optimistic that the rehabilitation can be completed within the year.

Also read: How Much of My Life Will EDSA Take?

What to expect with EDSA rehabilitation 

The DPWH will conduct a Dynamic Cone Penetration Test along EDSA from January 14 to April 4, which will span several cities in Metro Manila. Both northbound and southbound lanes will be partially closed at 500-meter intervals, measuring 32 meters long and 3.5 meters wide for each section.

The tests will run from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. on the following dates:

Quezon City

• From White Plains Avenue to Quezon Avenue (Northbound) – January 17 to 24
• From Quezon Avenue to Cloverleaf (Northbound) – February 3 to February 7
• From Quezon Avenue to Annapolis Street (Southbound) – January 14 to January 17
• From Cloverleaf to Quezon Avenue (Southbound) – January 27 to 31

San Juan City

• From Annapolis Street to J.P. Rizal (Southbound) – February 10 to 14
• From J.P. Rizal Street to White Plains Avenue (Northbound) – February 17 to 21

Makati City

• From J.P. Rizal Street to P. Santos (Southbound) – February 24 to February 28
• From Evangelista Street to J.P. Rizal Street (Northbound) – February 28 to March 7

Manila

• EDSA (Southbound) – March 10 to 14
• EDSA (Northbound) – March 17 to March 21

Caloocan City

• From Monumento to Cloverleaf (Southbound) – March 24 to March 28
• From Cloverleaf to Monumento (Northbound) – March 28 to April 4

A decade later

The major rehabilitation for EDSA was first proposed in 2015 but failed to push through after failing to gain approval from the MMDA. The MMDA cited concerns about the potential for severe traffic congestion without a proper management plan as other significant road repair projects were already underway at that time.

Back then, the DPWH said it planned to use advanced materials to improve EDSA’s pavement, including a specialized high-grade asphalt from Singapore. This special material is said to be tougher, more crack-resistant, and better at handling wear and tear than the usual options. In addition, it will only take 46 hours before the road can be reopened—a fast alternative compared to the three-day curing period for concrete. However, these plans never materialized.

Also read: EDSA Carmageddon is Back, Should Work From Home Be Permanent?

UPDATED (January 14, 2025): This article has been updated with the DPWH's timeline on the Dynamic Cone Penetration Tests from January 14 to April 4.

UPDATED (May 20, 2025): This article has been updated with the start date of the rehabilitation works along EDSA.