EDSA make-over to include car-pooling, odd-even scheme

After placing Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) under the control of the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG), the government is now seriously mulling about bringing back the odd-even traffic scheme and carpooling back on the roads.

In 1995, the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program (UVVRP), commonly called number coding or the "odd-even" traffic scheme, restricted the types of vehicles that can use major public roads, including EDSA, based on the final digit of the vehicle's license plate during peak hours.

Malacañang earlier announced plans to reintroduce the odd-even traffic scheme.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), on the other hand, is proposing to bar vehicles with fewer than three passengers from entering EDSA during rush hours. This is to encourage car-pooling among vehicle owners.

However, Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson assured the public that the car-pooling scheme will only be implemented once the government had already laid down alternate routes for the affected motorists.


OTHER PLANS

Meanwhile, PNP chief Ricardo Marquez is proposing closure of certain U-turn slots and transfer of bus stops as an added measure to free traffic chokepoints along EDSA.

He said he noticed how traffic slows down in U-turn slots, particularly the slot near West Avenue in Quezon City that he said contributes more to the traffic problems.

He is also considering the transfer of bus stops as an added measure to unclog major chokepoints along EDSA.


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