Left turn to EDSA from SSHiway blocked

[DonCamote]

Guys,

Look at this

If you are traveling southbound along SSHiway and you want to turn left to EDSA, it's blocked. MMDA wants motorists to detour for 1.5 km and MMDA have to spend on fielding 2 men to man the merging back to EDSA from Lapu-lapu avenue? What is so good about that idea?

[roninblade]

i cant remember anymore the last time i saw this open; i think it was around 15 years ago pa. accident prone ata yun merging ng lanes sa taas ng flyover.

[ghosthunter]

Yup, its been over ten years since that part was open for use.

IMHO, the part where it merges with the northbound traffic turning into EDSA was poorly designed and can cause (and have caused) accidents due to lack of proper merging area.

[DonCamote]

If it's accident prone, I also don't feel safe with the Lapu-lapu street merging to EDSA either, where the traffic people have to stop half of EDSA to let cars merge. Speed demons pa naman ang mga bus drivers sa EDSA and sometimes they can't see the MMDA already waving their hands to stop so you just have to exercise all caution and drive defensively. Minsan nga guard lang ng village ang naka post jan, hindi pa sinusunod ng mga bakulaw na driver ng bus.

[ghosthunter]

If it's accident prone, I also don't feel safe with the Lapu-lapu street merging to EDSA either, where the traffic people have to stop half of EDSA to let cars merge. Speed demons pa naman ang mga bus drivers sa EDSA and sometimes they can't see the MMDA already waving their hands to stop so you just have to exercise all caution and drive defensively. Minsan nga guard lang ng village ang naka post jan, hindi pa sinusunod ng mga bakulaw na driver ng bus.

True. But at Lapu-Lapu, the vehicles on EDSA can see you as they approach as compared to the flyover merging left-turn. At the closed fly-over left turn, it is totally possible not to see the other vehicle since the approach angle is bad.

[meledson]

I was wondering for a long time why this is closed. Thanks. parang sayang kasi.

[shadow]

James deakin also talked about this na on one his articles...

The Road to Nowhere
BACKSEAT DRIVER By James Deakin Updated May 06, 2009 12:00 AM
Can someone please explain to me why anyone would go through all the expense and hassle of building something we desperately need only to turn around close it? I’m talking about these random roads to nowhere that seem to be popping up more and more recently around the Metro.
Those who use the Magallanes flyover will know what I’m talking about. Remember that convenient little slip road that allowed you to enter EDSA northbound if you were coming from Osmeña highway? Closed. Except to VIP convoys, of course. Anyone belonging to the common folk who have the audacity to want to hook up to EDSA northbound will need to make a massive loop through Magallanes and join up to EDSA before the interchange and dart their way across three lanes while trying to avoid the speeding busses – just like a real life version of that eighties video game Frogger.
How about that handy extra lane on the southbound portion of the South Super Highway just under the Bicutan intersection? It is particularly useful because this is the point where it really bottlenecks just before the Skyway 2 construction and things start getting really messy… Closed.
San Lorenzo residents, or those with access stickers had a terrific way of beating traffic when going south. Exit the EDSA/Amorsolo gate, near the foot of the Magallanes flyover and skip all the chaos created by those unruly busses. Oh, sorry, that has been closed too. You will now need to go all the way up Pasong Tamo Extension to Pasay road, fight your way through the landscape of undisciplined jeepneys, and then hook up to the highway, which should add another 30 to 45 minutes or so to your travel time. All because of a pink fence.
Not to worry, those traveling north who need to make a U-turn at Crame can always take either the left or right roads beside the flyover. Until of course the MMDA pounce on you for not being a provincial bus. Rather than placing themselves somewhere to prevent the violation from happening in the first place, they will position themselves in a spot where they can apprehend you – even if you’re left wondering why it is a violation to begin with.
But that’s okay, because recently I discovered a wonderful way to skip all the congestion of Kalayaan when I needed to go from Makati to the north bound lane of C5. Previously, I would take the Buendia flyover, exit under the C5 signs, and suffer through the busy markets, illegally parked cars, suicidal pedestrians and that nightmare of a construction at the Lawnton avenue intersection. Then I found a way to cut through the Fort and turn off at International school and hook up back to Kalayaan just after the disaster zones. Guess what? Closed. At least after 8 p.m. And you want to know something even more ridiculous? They actually put steel trestles and hired a guard to stand there to make sure nobody benefits from this convenience. Lovely.
To think that these are just a handful of examples; I’m sure I’ll be inundated with all of your horror stories and examples through our Backseat Driver reaction line. But at the risk of screaming into the abyss, why? That’s all I want to know. Perhaps there is a stunningly logical solution that I have completely missed here.
So far, all the authorities have to say about it is that they have spreadsheets and graphs telling them that it works. I’ll keep that handy when I start driving a spreadsheet to work. But while I’m in a conventional car, it is hard to comfort myself with the findings of a committee when my eyes, wallet and watch are telling me the reverse.
We have a new service provider for your text comments. To register, text philstar <space> name, gender, birthdate, address and send to 2256 (all networks). Once registered, you can post your text comments to Backseat Driver by texting philstar <space> motoring <space> your message, and send to 2256 (all networks. Of course, you may still log on to www.philstar.com and blog your comments.
Here are a couple of questions/suggestions from Backseat Drivers who have already pre-registered…
Drivers changing lanes with the use of signal lamps is allowed all over the world. Why do our traffic personnel call it swerving? – Winnie de Castro (Geez, we’re stopmed! We have no idea what constitutes “swerving” in Metro Manila. We don’t know the answer to that one, either!)
I am interested fix it yourself tips regarding car repair – from changing brake pads to overhauling an engine. – Reynaldo Tiongson (Hmm… That’s a pretty sound suggestion. We’ll see what we can do to address that.)

[meledson]

*shadow,

nice find.

I do not think that the chaos theory applies to our traffic system.

[RedHotBlood]

matagal na ngang close yan, didn't remember kung binuksan pa nila but it was yeeeaarrrsss way back then.

[renzo_d10]

Yup matagal na nga itong closed. It has pros and cons rin naman eh.

PROS:

- Wont cause traffic
- Lesser accidents

CONS:

- Sayang sa gas if you'll make a u-turn sa malayo
- Waste of time

[kerf]

hindi ba pwedeng daan sa ilalim ng flyover, then right turn to edsa (southbound), then alam ko may U-turn kagad dun, pwede ba dun mag u-turn papnta edsa northbound? Hindi ko pa kasi natry to.

Ang ginagawa ko pag gusto ko magEDSA northbound from SSH southbound is u-turn sa ilalim ng flyover (going back to Manila), then right turn sa unang kanto papasok sa Pasong Tamo, then right sa Pasong Tamo, then left sa EDSA (northbound na to, under nung EDSA southbound flyover). May iba pa bang way?

[DonCamote]

Nice find indeed Shadow!

*Kerf, there is no U turn slot in EDSA from Osmeña Hiway to Taft but I think I'll try your suggested alternative route through Pasong Tamo extension (almost the same distance as the Magallanes detour) but this may be safer than the patintero in Lapulapu street.

[kumagbehota]

originally sabi ni erpats, dahil sa trapik talaga yan kaya pinasara yan at takaw aksidente pa. naalala ko binuksan yan for 1 week trial nung 2004 or 2005 ata na may mga MMDA para mag trapik, trapik pa din talaga sobra.lalo na kung me build up northbound pababa ng flyover dahil sa unloading ng mga bus, chain reaction na, damay pati southbound ng osmena

[glntVR]

I remember back then when I was still a new driver that was still open. Maybe 4 or 5 years ago. Then wala na they closed it down na talaga.

I find it very convenient but alanganin yung approach niya to EDSA.

[batang_raon14]

Hmm, in terms of heading for EDSA northbound coming from Osmena, I'd suggest that instead of going up the flyover, doon na lang sa baba, then U-Turn going to Don Bosco and turn right pagdating sa Mitsubishi Motors.

Deretso lang to the tunnel and turn right, deretso ka na nun to EDSA. Much safer in my case.