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Congestion due to flyover construction: Tagaytay-Nasugbu Road – Part 2
I showed photos of the construction of an overpass along the Tagaytay-Nasugbu Highway coming from Tagaytay in the previous post. This time, here are some photos taken along the opposite direction.
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Congestion due to flyover construction: Tagaytay-Nasugbu Road – Part 1
There is significant traffic congestion along the Tagaytay – Nasugbu Highway due to the construction of an overpass along the highway at its junction with the Tagaytay – Mendez Highway.
Was there a need for a flyover here? Otherwise I would suggest instead a set of good old-fashioned traffic signals and geometric improvements to the intersection.
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Another misplaced pedestrian footbridge?
There are soil tests currently being performed along L. Sumulong Memorial Circle across from Dela Paz National High School. This would probably be for the foundations of a pedestrian footbridge in the area that will, in theory, reduce if not eliminate pedestrian crossings in the area. On most days when there’s school, there are a lot of people, mostly students, crossing here. The result is traffic slowing down along both sides of the road that happens to be near the junction with Pinagmisahan Road. Is this enough reason to build a footbridge here? Probably and tempting enough for those who look for ‘easy’ solutions rather than come up with something that is less car-centric than a footbridge where the crossing is short and quick if done on the ground rather than via an overpass.
Soil tests across from Dela Paz National High School.There should be a solution here along the lines of complete streets rather than the usual pedestrian footbridge that’s a favorite of local and national government officials, planners and engineers who appear to be too lazy to come up with a more suitable treatment to improve safety in a high pedestrian and vehicle traffic area.
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Zamboanga’s first flyover
We passed by the construction site of Zamboanga City’s first flyover at the intersection of the Pan Philippine Highway (AH 26) and Veteran’s Avenue. I recall there was a lot of pressure from DPWH for the city to approve its construction. The previous mayor didn’t want to approve the project because the perception was that it was not required and there were other options to consider before a flyover was to be constructed. However, many people including the then congressman and now mayor probably thought the flyover would be the solution to the congestion experienced at the intersection. Add to that the perception that the flyover is also somewhat a symbol of progress.
We won’t know until its completion and the ‘normalization’ of traffic in the area to determine whether the flyover has ‘solved’ traffic congestion in the area. The problem with this approach to ‘solving traffic’ is that it is usually a short-lived alleviation of a symptom of the real problem, which is transportation. Zamboanga City has deferred rationalization of public transport routed despite analysis and plans pointing to a streamlined and optimized transportation system if this was pursued. The City commissioned a Transportation and Traffic Management Plan Study in the previous administration but the plan and its recommendations have been shelved, another example of such being casualties of a change in administration of an LGU.
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Footbridges along Sumulong Highway – Part 1
There are several new pedestrian footbridges along Sumulong Highway. The intent is simple – provide a safe crossing for people considering the high volume of traffic along the highway and the high risk of being hit by vehicles. Speed is an issue here considering the highway’s slopes and curves. Footbridges present a quick solution. However, it is not necessarily the most appropriate given the objective of improving safety. Perhaps slowing down or ‘calming’ traffic is a better approach?
A new pedestrian footbridge near the San Pedro Calungsod Church. The intention is for people to use this footbridge to cross to or from the church. Considering the relatively narrow carriageway, crossing on road level is actually the shortest and most efficient way. However, the volume and speed of traffic is a major consideration here and elsewhere along Sumulong Highway.
This pedestrian overpass or footbridge near Fatima University Hospital is intended for students and staff of the university and hospital. While many, even most, use the overpass, there are a significant number of people who prefer crossing directly on the highway. Before, there were school personnel, usually a guard, who helps people cross. I don’t see them anymore. Even Antipolo does not have traffic enforcers or aides in the area.
More on these pedestrian footbridges.
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Ortigas Center walkways under construction
Currently under construction at the Ortigas Center are elevated walkways that are part of the Ortigas Greenways Project. Following are some photos I took a few weeks back (they’re old!), and so the current state should show significant progress from what is in the photos.
Elevated walkways are currently under construction at the Ortigas Center. This part can be seen along Julia Vargas Ave. at the intersection with Garnet St.
Structure at F. Ortigas, Jr.
Close-up of the F. Ortigas part of the elevated walkways
Walkway section under construction along the approach of ADB Ave./San Miguel Ave.
Crossing under construction at the intersection of Julia Vargas with San Miguel Ave. (to the left) and ADB Ave. (to the right).
View of the F. Ortigas crossing walkway along the eastbound direction of Julia Vargas Ave.
This project is perhaps one of the most hyped pedestrian facilities in Metro Manila and if I recall right, the concept for this can be traced to workshops conducted during one of the Transport Forums organized by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), whose headquarters are located in Ortigas Center. It took a while to be realized but should be completed soon. This won’t be the first of its kind in Metro Manila as Makati already has one connecting office and residential buildings to Greenbelt and Glorietta. I really do hope it is able to reduce congestion in the area but this would require studies after the facilities are opened for public use. We need more of these around Metro Manila as well as other major cities. We direly need facilities to encourage walking as a preferred mode over motorized transport.
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On walking and the old pedestrian overpass at UPIS
I decided to go for a long walk one day last April. I walked from our office to the UP Town Center, which was just under 2 kilometers away, to purchase something. I could have taken my car or perhaps rode a jeepney but I wanted to see for myself how easy or difficult it was to walk that distance. It turned out that it wasn’t a difficult walk at all. From Melchor Hall, I crossed the street so that I could walk along the inner part of the Academic Oval. I then took a short cut through the trail in front of Malcolm Hall at the edges of the Sunken Garden, emerging just near the grandstand. From there, I crossed towards Vinzons Hall and then walked towards and along Shuster Street near UP Integrated School. I exited the campus at the portal at the end of Shuster and crossed Katipunan using the old pedestrian overpass that connected the main campus with what used to be UPIS on the other side of C-5.
The pedestrian overpass is an old structure compared to many of its kind around Metro Manila. The design is quite massive considering it is a concrete structure. The photo above was taken towards the direction of UP Town Center.
The steps are quite steep on either side of the overpass
Here’s a photo of a person carefully walking down the steps of the overpass.
The photo above was taken towards the direction of the UP campus.
The overpass used to be dirty, unkempt, and to many was revolting enough that it was rare to find people using it to cross Katipunan. Most people crossed the busy thoroughfare on the ground, often braving the traffic and taking on the risk of getting hit by a vehicle. Since the overpass was integrated with the UP Town Center (i.e., it is physically connected to the mall and there security personnel posted there), more people now use it. MMDA also fenced much of the median of Katipunan in the area and so the only way to cross the stretch of UP Town Center from Shuster to C.P. Garcia is via either of the two pedestrian overpasses (there’s a second, newer steel structure near C.P. Garcia).
As for the walk to Town Center and back, I thought it was safe, convenient and invigorating (nothing like some walking to help in blood circulation). I took a leisurely pace (not brisk) for my walk so I could enjoy the environment. You tend to see a lot of things when you take such walks and the campus is full of activities, sights and sounds, to help make the walk enjoyable such that you won’t even notice the time and perhaps, won’t even mind the exercise.
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Vermont Royale pedestrian overpass
There was a comment on a previous article asking if the pedestrian overpass across Vermont Royale along Marcos Highway is already usable. The photo in that article showed a still-to-be modified overpass. Following are photos taken last Sunday of the overpass. It shows the lowered mid-section passing under the Line 2 extension structure.
The modified pedestrian overpass across Vermont Royale along Marcos Highway
That’s a pedestrian and a cyclist using the overpass
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Another look at Marcos Highway overpasses – Part 3
The overpass at SM City Marikina is a bit more complex than what it looks like across the bridge. Here are some photos of the footbridge connecting the mall with the Santolan Station of Line 2:
The overpass is a very long one and provides users with a partially covered walkway connecting to the LRT Line 2 Santolan Station. I say ‘partially’ because the roof over the overpass extends only across Marcos Highway.
Note the covered bridge is only until the other side of Marcos Highway. From there it is an open overpass as shown at the left in the photo above.
A closer look at the SM Marikina overpass shows just where the cover ends. There are stairs here leading to the loading/unloading bays across from the mall. There is also a path that leads to stairs to the public transport terminal under the bridge. There is a sign with a blue background in the photo stating the terminal is named after a former MMDA Chair who was also a mayor of Marikina and currently one of its congressmen.
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Another look at Marcos Highway pedestrian overpasses – Part 2
I purposely didn’t include the overpasses at and near the Masinag Junction because I felt they deserved their own article. For one, the area will be the location of the future end station of the current LRT Line 2 Extension project. Here are a couple of photos of the overpasses in the area.
Overpass at SM City Masinag – note the tall columns for the elevated tracks of Line 2. Will the Masinag Station be located that high or will it be at a lower level, perhaps closer to the SM City overpass?
The overpass at SM City Masinag is something that has been replicated in many other locations where an SM mall has been constructed. Note the similarity of the situation with the likes of SM City Iloilo, SM City Novaliches where SM built pedestrian facilities to allow for safe crossings between the mall and the area across from it along the highway. In many cases, it is the mall which provided the overpass in coordination with the local government unit and, I assume, the DPWH.
Overpasses at Masinag Junction – there are actually 4 bridges here, each spanning one leg of the junction.
One of the intents for these is to eliminate at-grade pedestrian crossings at the junction. While crossing have been reduced significantly, there are still many “pasaway” who cross even when there is a green light for vehicular traffic along the leg they are crossing. Traffic enforcers here are quite lax about this and don’t seem to put in an effort to inform people about the overpass. There is no excuse for those who might claim they are too old or weak to climb the steps since the overpass has 4 working elevators for those unable to make the stairs. I noticed though that most of those using the elevators are able bodied people who probably are just too lay to take the stairs.
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Caught (up) in traffic 