What's the Big Picture and Other questions we should ask before building another road

[tomboy]

'What's the Big Picture?' and Other questions we should ask before building another road - InterAksyon.com

Illustration by Paulo Alcazaren

'What's the Big Picture?' and Other questions we should ask before building another road

Two agencies have announced road projects that aim to ease traffic congestion on EDSA:

The MMDA unveiled a plan for a "Skybridge" that will stretch for 8.3 kilometers over a network of esteros. It will cost P10 billion.

The DPWH proposed building an "elevated EDSA" that will be 22 kilometers long. It will be built on top of the existing EDSA (above the MRT). Elevated EDSA will cost P50 billion.

But traffic congestion is just a symptom. The real problem we need to solve is "How do we make it easier to get around Metro Manila?"

Here are a few more important questions we should all ask about these proposed roads.

1. Who will benefit the most from using the proposed road?

Eight out of 10 people who live in Metro Manila take public transportation. Will the new road benefit them? Or will it serve the needs of the few people who own and drive cars?

2. Will it connect people to where they need to go?

Makati is still the largest center of employment in Metro Manila. Yet newer hubs of employment—such as Bonifacio Global City, Eastwood, and the Mall of Asia—are also growing fast. Will the proposed road also serve the people going to these hubs?

On the other hand, three out of every four people on the road are not on their way to work. They are going to schools, shops, hospitals, and other places. Will the new road serve their needs, too?

3. How will the route of the proposed road affect the existing road network?

Elevated highways will need off ramps and on ramps. If the connections of the new road to the existing network are not planned well, the ramps will generate traffic jams of their own. They may clog roads that work well now but will be flooded by new traffic trying to get to the ramps.

4. What are we gaining and losing from the proposed road?

The MMDA proposes building the Skybridge over esteros or creeks. Dredging the esteros is part of the project; this could be beneficial to the city drainage. But if dredging is not done well, it could block the flow of water and lead to flooding.

Our esteros may not seem like much now. But they were once part of a vibrant river network. Reviving them could ease flooding and improve the ecology of the Pasig River, the Laguna Lake, and the Manila Bay. Will the Skybridge limit our future options for reviving the esteros?

5. What's the big picture?

We should ask, “How will the new road fit into a long-term vision for Metro Manila?” Will it put our megacity on the path to a more sustainable future? Will it encourage more dependence on fossil fuels? Or will it encourage more sustainable forms of transportation like walking and biking?

It is easy to look for silver bullets for the problem of traffic congestion. But we can’t afford to sacrifice the future for short-term gains.

We need to ask tough questions now before building another road. And we need to make sure we are guided by a long-term vision for our megacity.

One more question:

Whose job is it to set the vision for Metro Manila? Take the poll below and share your thoughts with us.

"If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there." Lewis Carroll, English author and mathematician, could have been writing about Metropolitan Manila. Our megacity is a hodgepodge of 17 cities and municipalities, each with its own set of laws.

But someone has to take the lead for setting the vision for Metro Manila. Simply put, such a vision statement will answer the questions, Where is Metro Manila going? What will our megacity be like in the future?

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Benjamin de la Peña is the Associate Director for Urban Development at the Rockefeller Foundation. He may be contacted at bdelapena.online*gmail.com. The views and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of the foundation.

Dinna Louise C. Dayao is a freelance writer and editor. She may be reached at dinnadayao*gmail.com.

[tomboy]

[uls]

^^

so ano talaga point ng writer?

ayaw pa sabihin derecho eh

gusto ng writer gumamit ng public transport lahat ng tao (or use bicycles or walk)

he says private car ownership causes traffic

building new roads doesnt reduce traffic coz the number of cars keep increasing

hey dream on. people will not give up their cars and use public transport

the reason why people buy cars in the first place is to avoid using public transport

[uls]

5. What's the big picture?

We should ask, “How will the new road fit into a long-term vision for Metro Manila?” Will it put our megacity on the path to a more sustainable future? Will it encourage more dependence on fossil fuels? Or will it encourage more sustainable forms of transportation like walking and biking?

the writer is a treehugger

[roninblade]

it really peeves me when people put walking and biking as valid forms of public transport in the heat and humidity of Metro Manila.

i personally don't have any problem with public transportation as long as you get to your destination without being drenched in sweat and stinking like you haven't had a bath in 2 days.

private cars don't cause traffic on regular days, buses and jeeps do that most of the time. retire the jeeps, regulate the buses, build new new rail lines and improve the current lines.

[robot.sonic]

^^
the reason why people buy cars in the first place is to avoid using public transport

gawin nilang komportable ang public transpo at iiwanan ko ang oto ko sa garahe.

[tomboy]

In singapore and dubai na mas mainit kaysa philippines madami nagbibike to work doon. They have shower room sa work. Dito sa manila maglalagay offices nyo ng shower area much better.

Ako nagbibike around greenhills, araneta avenue and erodriguez.

Next time try ko hanggang tiendesitas na. Pero pag-aaralan ko pa kung saan mas less accident na daan dahil ibang klase mga bus, jeep, taxi and some private car owners magdrive. Pero hindi yan naging hadlang para hindi ako magbike.

Sa current public transport ayaw ko talaga sumakay dahil magulang si taxi driver, mabantot mga katabi sa jeep at bus at ang tagal pa umandar dahil nag-aantay pa ng pasahero. So ako na lang maging driver pero sa bike.

[niky]

If even you can't take public transport, what about everyone else?

I used to commute every day. I even walked when I studied in UPD... and sometimes walked to UPM when I studied there. I used to walk several kilometers a day to and from class.

On rainy days, it's impossible to walk or bike through most of Manila. In fact, it's almost impossible to walk in many places in Manila... there is no contiguous sidewalk at EDSA or Commonwealth and on many smaller streets. It's illegal to bike on many major thoroughfares, too. I would personally love to bike wherever I have to go, but it's difficult to secure a bike and there are places where you simply can't go.

Increased public transport is not really a solution. Our roads are already so oversaturated during off-hours that many jeeps and buses don't hold any more passengers than many private vehicles.

Targeted public transport would help. But also targeted development. As long as everyone wants to go to Makati, traffic will still be an uncontrollable snarl. What we want is to convince people to go elsewhere and live elsewhere. Encourage more commercial development out where roads are uncluttered, rent is cheaper and where workers can afford to live, instead of having workers live out in the sticks for low rent and commute twenty kilometers to work every morning.

And once you have developments outside Manila... ones with planned roads and HPV lanes, then you will have more people on bikes and on foot.

But right now, Manila is just a mess. And it's not because of the "selfish" people who use their cars more... but simply because there are just too many people squashed into too little space.

[chua_riwap]

In singapore and dubai na mas mainit kaysa philippines madami nagbibike to work doon. They have shower room sa work. Dito sa manila maglalagay offices nyo ng shower area much better.

singapore & dubai is less polluted than manila.

you can just imagine if you would bike from QC & then office mo sa makati.
sagap mo na lahat ng usok ng bus & the jeepneys.
& besides, wala namang offices sa atin na may showers & anong offices ang magpo provide nito for their employees.

[uls]

In singapore and dubai na mas mainit kaysa philippines madami nagbibike to work doon. They have shower room sa work. Dito sa manila maglalagay offices nyo ng shower area much better.

Ako nagbibike around greenhills, araneta avenue and erodriguez.

Next time try ko hanggang tiendesitas na. Pero pag-aaralan ko pa kung saan mas less accident na daan dahil ibang klase mga bus, jeep, taxi and some private car owners magdrive. Pero hindi yan naging hadlang para hindi ako magbike.

Sa current public transport ayaw ko talaga sumakay dahil magulang si taxi driver, mabantot mga katabi sa jeep at bus at ang tagal pa umandar dahil nag-aantay pa ng pasahero. So ako na lang maging driver pero sa bike.

kaya pala pinost mo yung article

kasi nag b-bike ka

[tomboy]

kaya pala pinost mo yung article

kasi nag b-bike ka

Oo last year ako nagsimula magbike. Pero gamit pa din ako kotse. Nakita ko yung benefit nung bike= No traffic, No gas, No parking fees. No reklamo. (Yung natipid napunta sa pagkain ko.)

Example kung punta ka greenhills from sm centerpoint. Aabutin ka 45 minutes. Pipila ka pa sa parking. Dumating time nakakapagod na ang traffic. Wala naman mangyayari so naisip ko magbike. Sa una takot talaga ako kasi delikado pag nakikita ko kung paano magpaandar mga motorcylce. So pinag-aralan ko kung ano dapat gawin. Hanggang ngayon pinag-aaralan ko pa din. (Isang malaki problem ng motor super tulin at snake driving at mali ang position ng side mirror nila kaya lumilingon pa din patalikod. Ako sa handle grip talaga nakakabit side mirror)

Sa situation ng metro manila hindi lahat ng tao magagawa ito dahil nga hirap nga wala kayo maliliguan sa work. Pero sa mga tao hindi empleyado or hawak nyo ang inyong oras pwede nyo itry magbike lalo na kung magisa ka lang sa kotse.

Pwede naman magsimula na hindi pa maayos ang system. Kasi kung mag-aantay pa kayo na tumino ang system lalo na sa isang third world country eh nakakapagod na din mag-antay.
*********

singapore & dubai is less polluted than manila.

you can just imagine if you would bike from QC & then office mo sa makati.
sagap mo na lahat ng usok ng bus & the jeepneys.
& besides, wala namang offices sa atin na may showers & anong offices ang magpo provide nito for their employees.

Meron na gumagawa nyan kaso iilan pa lang from commonwealth to makati. Yung company na yun ok talaga nagpagawa ng shower room sa employees. Tapos meron pa sila parking sa bike. Nagkaproblem kasi dati parking dahil laging puno tap ang mahal so yung isa doon mountain biker sya nagsimula hanggang sa gumaya na ibang katrabaho.

Totoo din sabi mo nakakainis usok ng bus and jeep. Pero ako mas naiinis ako sa kotse ng tatay ko pag sumasakay ako nakakahilo. Feeling ko yung aircon or yung lawanit sa trunk. Ang toxic ng amoy. Concentrated dahil sa loob ng kotse.

[CVT]

Dapat (preferably high speed)trains or their equivalent public transport lang inside Metro Manila....

May mga satellite stations outside of Metro Manila, preferably malls, where people can park their cars, bikes, motorcycles and take the trains going into the Metropolis... Going back, they can shop for the day and go home in their personal rides.

Very limited na lang ang buses (at wala ng jeepneys/tricycles/pedicabs) plying the main arteries of the Metro...

At, kung papasok ang cars, bikes, motorcycles inside the Metro,- may toll....

14.6K:dj:

[ghosthunter]

it really peeves me when people put walking and biking as valid forms of public transport in the heat and humidity of Metro Manila.

i personally don't have any problem with public transportation as long as you get to your destination without being drenched in sweat and stinking like you haven't had a bath in 2 days.

I agree. If we have a cooler climate, I would think nearly all of us wouldn't mind walking more. In fact, when I am abroad in a cold country, I tend to take more long walks.

BUT we live in the Philippines. We ahve to be realistic!

[jansky]

^^ sa Baguio hindi ganyan kasi cooler climate sya.. un lang masakit sa binti pag nag bike

[vinj]

I agree. If we have a cooler climate, I would think nearly all of us wouldn't mind walking more. In fact, when I am abroad in a cold country, I tend to take more long walks.

BUT we live in the Philippines. We ahve to be realistic!

On top of that, it's also the pollution that we have. I can take long walks in SG and I don't get that sticky feeling of pollution in spite of the heat; i almost dehydrated myself though. :D Countries like SG also have a good underground walkway system between buildings to help.

[roninblade]

I agree. If we have a cooler climate, I would think nearly all of us wouldn't mind walking more. In fact, when I am abroad in a cold country, I tend to take more long walks.

BUT we live in the Philippines. We ahve to be realistic!

funny how because somebody is into biking these days they now think every body should bike everywhere.

i, too, don't mind walking or biking everywhere in more temperate climates.

we should instead try to model metro manila against hong kong's network of public transportation. they have 7M people and only about 380K private vehicles. 90% of the overall daily travel is via public transport.

[ghosthunter]

On top of that, it's also the pollution that we have. I can take long walks in SG and I don't get that sticky feeling of pollution in spite of the heat; i almost dehydrated myself though. :D Countries like SG also have a good underground walkway system between buildings to help.

I recently came from a business trip in Hong Kong where the current temperature hovers between 10C & 15C. I practically walked everywhere I went (except when I was in the MTR). Although my feet were painful, I was comfortable.

The same cannot be said in the Philippines. A simple 20 minute walk in the metro would leave me pouring out sweat like a waterfall. Fine if I was a health buff on my morning run but going to the office, I would prefer to arrive fresh and dry.

[vinj]

I recently came from a business trip in Hong Kong where the current temperature hovers between 10C & 15C. I practically walked everywhere I went (except when I was in the MTR). Although my feet were painful, I was comfortable.

The same cannot be said in the Philippines. A simple 20 minute walk in the metro would leave me pouring out sweat like a waterfall. Fine if I was a health buff on my morning run but going to the office, I would prefer to arrive fresh and dry.

Even if you're walking on the covered, elevated walkway from Glorietta/Greenbelt to the Legaspi Village area, you'll arrive feeling sticky. It's nice walking there right after office hours though, especially if you're going against the traffic flow. ;)

Having said that, the Philippines is not a walking or biking friendly country (and I have the stench of the motorcycle riding messengers/employees who pass by my office to prove that). We're just too polluted and the weather too erratic just as well. The best start is to really carve out more roads and improve public transpo at the same time. You can also see the number of threads in various forums that people are inquiring to buy cars at the 100K to 200K range ("yung pinakamura, na maporma, na bago, na matipid ha" ), which points that the number of road users across income brackets will continue to rise.

[shadow]

And people please STOP comparing us to our neighboring country, cuz we will never be like them.

[niky]

Hahaha... when I was in College, I walked and commuted a lot.

Guess what? I developed a chronic cough, my previously great complexion, which had weathered years of walking, biking and running several kilometers a day in high school, turned into the orange peel I have now and I started developing allergies to the oddest things. Turns out, I'm allergic to the rust that forms on jeepney handholds...

Some people have no choice. Unfortunately. I guess it won't be too long before we emulate Mexico, which mandates a "medical leave" every year to detoxify people who breathe in its pollution day-by-day.