Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 18) — The setback in the construction of transit system projects contributes to the worsening traffic in Metro Manila, an expert said Thursday.
Speaking to CNN Philippines’ Traffic Center, Jose Regin Regidor, a research fellow of the UP National Center for Transportation Studies, said the transit projects include the Metro Manila Subway, the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 7, the and Light Rail Transit (LRT) Extension.
“These are the projects that’s supposed to have an impact,” Regidor said. “But since they have not yet been operational, these continue to affect overall traffic.”
In the recent data from the TomTom Traffic Index, Metro Manila ranked first as having the world’s worst traffic in 2023 among 387 metro areas.
The index indicated that motorists spent 25 minutes and 30 seconds per 10 kilometers on the roads of Metro Manila – a 50-second increase from its previous record.
Regidor said instead of taking public transportation, many Filipinos use private vehicles and motorcycle taxis to go to their destinations, which contribute to the worsening traffic.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) earlier said that the country’s first subway system will be operational by 2029. The 33-kilometer subway system will have 17 stations – from Valenzuela City to FTI-Bicutan in Parañaque City.
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The DOTr said it was also eyeing to complete the MRT-7 in 2024 or 2025. The construction of the transit project began in 2016.
The agency said MRT-7 will cut travel time from San Jose del Monte in Bulacan to North Avenue in Quezon City from two to three hours to only 35 minutes.
