Bus, Jeepney Stops Eyed Along Commonwealth Avenue: MMDA
For road safety.
(SPOT.ph) The MMDA said it was considering putting designated stops for buses, jeepneys and other public utility vehicles along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City to ensure road safety on what has been dubbed as the country's "killer highway".
Officials from the MMDA on Tuesday met with representatives of the Quezon City local government and jeepney operators to discuss the designation of PUV stops in line with the planned establishment of exclusive motorcycle lanes along Commonwealth Avenue.
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"There should be designated bus and jeepney stops for passengers as part of road safety. It’s about time to instill road discipline among all passenger vehicles," said MMDA Acting Chairman Carlo Dimayuga III during the preliminary meeting.
The Metro Manila council, composed of all Metro Manila mayors, earlier agreed "in principle" to create exclusive lanes for motorcycles, bicycles, and other PUVs on Commonwealth Avenue.
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.
Dimayuga asked for assistance from the Quezon City local government and jeepney operators in identifying the loading and unloading areas along Commonwealth Avenue.
“Through this, we could strategize on how the PUVs could maneuver to their designated stops. We would like to confine pedestrians to designated loading and unloading areas,” he said.
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, it has gained notoriety over the years as a "killer" highway due to the number of road accidents that occur along the avenue.
Road crash statistics from the MMDA Traffic Engineering Center showed that there have been a total 1,010 fatal, non-fatal, and damage to property accidents involving motorcycles along Commonwealth Avenue.
The MMDA earlier said that it would also install 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.