Ortigas Traffic Advisory: New ADB Avenue traffic scheme dry run starts 4th week September
Ortigas traffic is about to see a change. A dry run for a new traffic scheme along ADB Avenue is scheduled to start in the 4th week of September – most likely on the 25th – and it will involve both directions going towards Ortigas and Julia Vargas. This follows the government’s – both national and local units – push for the promotion of active transport in Metro Manila.
New Ortigas traffic scheme involves 1 less motor vehicle lane, and a wider island and bike lane
Photo: Ortigas Center Association, Inc.
As announced by the Ortigas Center Association, the Ortigas traffic flow along ADB Avenue will change beginning this week. Technically, the barriers for the new scheme were put in place this past Friday, as you can see in the photo above, but this dry run “formally” starts in the 4th week of September, and that is this week, and today. The dry run will be for at least a month.
Photo: Ortigas Center Association, Inc.
Motorists familiar with Ortigas traffic along ADB Avenue will remember 3 – technically 2 and a half – lanes for motor vehicles and bicycles. The new traffic scheme is being put in place to asses how 1.) widening of the center island, 2.) dedication of two lanes for motor vehicles, and 3.) assigning a dedicated bicycle lane will affect traffic along the main artery in Ortigas center.
It’s worth noting that both directions of ADB Avenue will be affected, and that’s along the J.Vargas- and Ortigas-bound directions.
Photo: Ortigas Center Association, Inc.
Traffic in Ortigas Center has only gotten worse in the past years, and the push for active transport such as bicycling has also gotten much stronger. This project is part of the DOTr’s Active Transport Program that is being implemented in cooperation with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH National Capital Region) and in collaboration with the Ortigas Center Association, Inc. (OCAI).
Here’s to hoping that Ortigas traffic will somehow improve. That’s pretty difficult to see given motor vehicles will only have two lanes in either direction, but we’d like to think the DOTr, DPWH, and OCAI thought this through really, really well. Yes, we would like to think that, indeed.
