The following photos are just takes on EDSA during one of those trips from a meeting to go back to the university. The pictures show what we encounter everyday along what may be the busiest thoroughfare in the country. Of course, it goes without saying that similar scenes are also observed along other roads including expressways.

Visual noise – the billboards along EDSA remain to be a source of “visual noise” as some architects and planners refer to their proliferation. There are a huge concentration of these billboards in the Guadalupe area including LED screens that literally light up the road. Not a few people including MMDA Chairs have called for the removal of the billboards or at least regulating their content. With summer approaching fast, the models might have lesser clothing on them and become more of distractions for motorists and riders.

Motorcycle lane – the imposition/implementation of motorcycle lanes along EDSA has received mixed feedback from various sectors. Unlike Commonwealth, EDSA’s traffic is significantly higher and the latter has less lanes and so during peak periods, there is no choice for motorists but to use the motorcycle AND bus lanes. The result is a chaotic mix of vehicles jostling for road space especially along areas where bus stops are located.

NMT lane-splitting – I was fortunate to be able to capture this scene where a man on bicycle splits the lane along EDSA. The lane here is actually part of the 2 outermost lanes designated for buses (yellow lanes). However, in the vicinity of intersections, private vehicles are tolerated to use the lanes as the turn into or off from EDSA. I don’t think there is good data on how many bicycles travel along EDSA (or sections of the highway) everyday. This would be an interesting statistic that could enable us to determine the demand for cycling along this highway.

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