The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has asked mall operators to maintain the “open late, close late” holiday schedule amid expectations of traffic congestion arising from the ongoing infrastructure projects under the “Build, Build, Build” program this year.
Jojo Garcia, MMDA assistant general manager for planning, noted that travelling speed along the Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (Edsa) increased by 10 percent when shopping malls adjusted their operational hours from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. to 11 a.m. up to 10 p.m. since October. The MMDA and the mall operators originally agreed to have the holiday schedule end on January 15.
“We had a meeting with the mall operators to maintain the 11 a.m. opening,” said Garcia. The MMDA discussed the request with at least 25 mall operators. The agency also asked the operators to submit the effects of the schedule adjustment to their sales.
From 17 kms. per hour during the regular business hours, traveling speed on Edsa improved to 19 kms. per hour after the malls situated on Edsa agreed to modify their business hours to alleviate the traffic situation in the metropolis during the holiday rush.
Garcia emphasized the importance of the cooperation of mall operators in reducing traffic congestion on Edsa and other parts of the metropolis. Based on MMDA’s records, traffic volume in Metro Manila swelled by 15 to 20 percent during the holidays.
Among the contruction projects in pipeline this year are: The Metro Rail Transit-Light Rail Transit common station on the second quarter; the LRT Line 2 extension project on Marcos Highway and LRT Line 1 extension to Cavite; Metro Manila’s first subway in the third quarter; Megawide Southwest Terminal, South Terminal, MRT 7, and bridges to be built by the Department of Public Works and Highways; and the rehabilitation of Guadalupe Bridge.
These infrastructure projects are the government’s short and long-term solutions to address the worsening traffic congestion in Metro Manila.
Jojo Garcia, MMDA assistant general manager for planning, noted that travelling speed along the Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (Edsa) increased by 10 percent when shopping malls adjusted their operational hours from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. to 11 a.m. up to 10 p.m. since October. The MMDA and the mall operators originally agreed to have the holiday schedule end on January 15.
“We had a meeting with the mall operators to maintain the 11 a.m. opening,” said Garcia. The MMDA discussed the request with at least 25 mall operators. The agency also asked the operators to submit the effects of the schedule adjustment to their sales.
From 17 kms. per hour during the regular business hours, traveling speed on Edsa improved to 19 kms. per hour after the malls situated on Edsa agreed to modify their business hours to alleviate the traffic situation in the metropolis during the holiday rush.
Garcia emphasized the importance of the cooperation of mall operators in reducing traffic congestion on Edsa and other parts of the metropolis. Based on MMDA’s records, traffic volume in Metro Manila swelled by 15 to 20 percent during the holidays.
Among the contruction projects in pipeline this year are: The Metro Rail Transit-Light Rail Transit common station on the second quarter; the LRT Line 2 extension project on Marcos Highway and LRT Line 1 extension to Cavite; Metro Manila’s first subway in the third quarter; Megawide Southwest Terminal, South Terminal, MRT 7, and bridges to be built by the Department of Public Works and Highways; and the rehabilitation of Guadalupe Bridge.
These infrastructure projects are the government’s short and long-term solutions to address the worsening traffic congestion in Metro Manila.
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