EDSA to begin rehabilitation this June—DOTr
The rebuilding of EDSA is slated to begin in mid-June, the Department of Transportation said.
DOTr Sec. Vince Dizon said on Tuesday, May 20, that they already had a meeting with the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.
"Nag-meeting kami ng DPWH at MMDA kahapon, at ngayon dahil nga kumplikado itong pagre-rebuild ng EDSA, ang target ay middle of June. 'Yun na ang talagang kailangang masimulan na," Dizon told the media. He added that they will announce more details soon, especially with the expected heavy traffic during the rebuilding.
Meanwhile, DPWH Secretary Manny Bonoan said that they have yet to set up the traffic management scheme.
"Just a few more arrangements. Tinitingnan namin kasi we need to identify the alternate routes na pwedeng gawin," he said in an interview with TeleRadyo Serbisyo on Tuesday. This includes the use of Skyway for affected routes.
The EDSA Busway will continue its operations amid the rebuilding but will be temporarily relocated using a lane dedicated to private vehicles.
"Ang importante dito, we have to disseminate the information to the motoring public using EDSA, kung ano yung gagawin at maintindihan nila yung mga scheme,” he added.
Per the transportation agency, the rebuilding will take two years.
Dizon told GMA in an earlier interview that they would start the rehabilitation on the innermost Southbound and Northbound lanes.
"So uusog po yung EDSA carousel ng isang lane," he said. "Kaya po mababawasan po talaga ang mga lanes natin para sa mga sasaskyan."
He stated that additional buses and MRT train cars would be deployed to accommodate more passengers and ease expected heavy traffic.
"Sa DOTr side po, magdadagdag po tayo ng mga bus sa busway natin para mas marami pong makakasakay at siguro 'di na nila kailangan magsasakyan muna," he said.
The rehabilitation works are part of the Philippines' hosting preparations for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit in 2026.
