Commonwealth Avenue to Get Bike and Motorcycle Lanes, Is It Goodbye to "Killer Highway" Tag?
Country's widest highway is making space for two wheels.
(SPOT.ph) Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City will soon get motorcycle lanes, the MMDA said, as authorities moved to ease traffic congestion in what is dubbed the Philippines "killer highway" due to the frequency of road accidents.
The Metro Manila Council, composed of all Metro Manila mayors, agreed "in principle" to create exclusive lanes for motorcycles and bicycles and public utility vehicles on Commonwealth Avenue, the MMDA said today, October 19.
The right outermost lane of the avenue will be designated as an exclusive bike lane, while the second and third lanes will be dedicated to PUVs and motorcycles, respectively. The remaining lanes will be used by all other vehicles.
Why is Commonwealth Avenue called a 'killer' highway?
Commonwealth Avenue, which extends from Elliptical Road in Diliman to the Quirino Avenue in the Novaliches area, is the widest avenue in the Philippines, consisting of up to 18 lanes. However, through the years it has gained notoriety as a "killer" highway due to the number of road accidents that occur along the avenue.
According to road crash statistics from the MMDA Traffic Engineering Center, there have been a total 1,010 fatal, non-fatal, and damage to property accidents involving motorcycles along Commonwealth Avenue.
To help reduce accidents, the MMDA, the Department of Public Works and Highways, and the Quezon City LGU will also install appropriate traffic signs and other lane markings along Commonwealth Avenue from Elliptical Road to Doña Carmen Subdivision and vice versa to guide motorists and delineate the exclusive lanes from one another.