Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 5) — Road closures in Quezon City due to the impending construction of the new Metro Rail Transit (MRT-7) line have been deferred, according to authorities.
On Monday evening, the Quezon City local government unit announced it would postpone the closures, which were supposed to start Tuesday.
Roads would have been closed from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. to pave way for the 24-hour construction of the new rail transit.
The Department of Transportation (DoTr) in a statement said the public should have been properly informed of rerouting schemes before imposing the closures.
“Dapat kasi before you partially close a road, may comms campaign muna on that,” the agency said. “Dapat at least 5 days before. Traffic signs should also properly be in place.”
[Translation: Before you partially close a road, you should have a communications campaign on that. It should be done at least five days before. Traffic signs should also properly be in place.]
Under the Quezon City government’s proposed rerouting scheme, only one lane would be open from Commonwealth Ave. to Bristol St. for motorists headed to San Jose Del Monte City in Bulacan.
Meanwhile, two lanes from Bristol St. to Commonwealth Ave. would be closed, affecting motorists going to Quezon Memorial Circle.
Private and public utility vehicles were advised to take alternative routes as of now to avoid congestion in the construction sites.
DoTr said it will issue an advisory for the new dates of the expected road closures, as it is still ironing out the alternate routes for motorists.
It also said the construction will start in the area as soon as the rerouting is fully laid out.
The ₱69.7 billion MRT Line 7 is about 23 kilometers long and will connect North Avenue in Quezon City and Quirino Highway in San Jose Del Monte City. It is expected to be operational by August 2019.
