(Graphics on traffic lanes during Edsa rebuilding from the Metro Manila Development Authority)
MANILA, Philippines — The rehabilitation of Epifanio de los Santos (Edsa) is set to begin on June 13 and it will last until 2027.
The government has now designated this endeavor as a “rebuilding” project.
But what exactly should we expect from the P8.7 billion project?
In a press conference on Monday, Public Works and Highways Sec. Manuel Bonoan announced that the preparations for the Edsa rebuilding will begin on June 13.
He was joined in the forum by Transportation Sec. Vince Dizon and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chair Don Artes.
According to Bonoan, the reconstruction is in line with the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to “once and for all” solve the issues in one of the busiest throughways in the country.
The government will take on rebuilding and reconstructing the 23.8-kilometer southbound and northbound lanes of Edsa—a project that, according to Bonoan, covers a total of 200 kilometers of lanes when each individual lane in both directions is counted.
“Once and for all, this is our plan: We need to rebuild and reconstruct the entire Edsa. We will replace the pavement,” Bonoan told reporters.
He gave the details: “We will dig up the existing pavement and replace it with a new, more durable one.”
Bonoan said the government will be adopting the latest technologies on concrete mixing to perfect the pavement.
“On top of the concrete mix we’ll be using, we’ll add a thick layer of asphalt as the running surface to ensure smoother traffic flow,” he noted.
READ: Rehabilitation of Edsa to begin in the middle of June, says Dizon
The southbound lane of Edsa will be the primary focus of the initiative.
The lanes occupied exclusively by the Edsa Carousel will be rebuilt first from the inner lanes to the outer lanes.
The specific Edsa section from Pasay City to Guadalupe in Makati City will be given top priority.
This is also given the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit, which will be held in the country in 2026.
No, Edsa won’t be fully closed at once.
Transport Sec. Vince Dizon made it clear to the public that the whole stretch of Edsa will not be entirely closed during the full duration of the rebuilding.
Instead, the construction will be done lane by lane, with the Edsa Carousel still remaining operational.
The Department of Public Works Highways will be extending the barriers that separate the bus lane from the regular lanes, and erecting another temporary barrier to retain the bus lane’s exclusivity.
From there, the DPWH will be repairing areas along Edsa beginning from the innermost lanes.
The process is as shown below:
“As you may have noticed, we’ve slightly moved the barrier back. It’s not exactly aligned with the existing busway line,” Bonoan pointed out.
“We need space for construction once we start working on the busway, which is why the barriers are slightly adjusted,” the secretary explained.
“The same setup will apply when we move to the second lane. Similar barriers will be placed. The construction of the outermost lane will just be slightly delayed,” he noted.
The government will be employing several contractors at the same time to work on each segment of Edsa.
Apart from the road itself, Bonoan also committed to including Edsa’s pedestrian lanes in the repair works, as well as the structures of the drainage.
“Especially the areas along Edsa that are constantly prone to flooding—we will address those as well to make Edsa flood-free and ensure that our pedestrian lanes are safe and pleasant to walk on,” the government official promised.
What about the traffic?
Transportation Sec. Dizon admitted that the project will cause heavy traffic along the avenue.
Dizon said this is why the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has come up with five interventions that will hopefully reduce the traffic jam.
These interventions are as follows:
1. Free toll on Skyway Stage 3
2. Additional 100 units on Edsa Busway
3. Additional trains in Metro Rail Transit Line 3 or MRT-3
4. Clearing alternate routes of all obstructions
5. Odd-even scheme in Edsa
READ: Free toll, odd-even scheme to be enforced during Edsa rebuild – DOTr
The DOTr is also already set to remove the X-ray machines at the MRT-3 and Light Rail Transit (LRT) stations to speed up the flow of passengers.
This is expected to enable commuters to reach the railway platforms faster.
MMDA chair Artes also said that provincial buses, trucks and other big vehicles will be banned from Edsa starting June 13.
“We will just give them a window period between 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.,” the MMDA went on.
“Because with the adjustments during the Edsa reconstruction, the lanes will become narrower,” he made his calculations.
The MMDA will also remove the bike lane separators in Edsa.
“We will hold meetings with stakeholders, particularly motorcycle riders and cyclists, to discuss the exclusive bicycle lanes,” he said.
“We will probably create exclusive motorcycle lanes along Edsa because motorcycles will be prohibited from going beneath the underpasses, and they will also no longer be allowed on the overpasses,” he continued.
The MMDA said there are also other alternative routes that motorists can opt for aside from the interventions being planned. /apl/cb