Heavy traffic expected with MRT-7 construction

MOTORISTS should expect heavier roads in Quezon City until the end of next year once construction starts on the Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT-7), the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said on Friday.

MMDA Assistant General Manager Jojo Garcia said at a press conference that the constuction works along the major thoroughfare—which will be done in six phases—will start at 12 midnight on Saturday and is expected to continue until 2019.

Garcia added that construction work, which includes excavating soil where the North Avenue station will be built, would eat up two innermost lanes, both southbound and northbound.

“Starting this Saturday, there be movement in North Avenue and by 12 midnight, they will start will construction work. The MRT-7 construction would be done just like that of the LRT2 in Marcos Highway, taking up two innermost lanes,” he added.

This means that from the current three southbound lanes would now be reduced to two; and from four northbound lanes to just three.

Bong Nebrija, MMDA operations supervisor, said their team is working round the clock to clear up the areas – North Avenue, Mindanao Avenue and Agham Road all the way to Quezon Memorial Circle (QMC) and Commonwealth Avenue—to lessen the burden of motorists plying along the routes.

He also said that they are coordinating with the Quezon City government in its campaign against illegal parking and in the clearing operations.

“We are calling on our fellow citizens, help by removing obstructions so we can give way to the project,” he said.

He added that the EEI Corp.16 will deploy the contractor for the MRT-7 construction to augment the 20-man -

Meanwhile, Garcia said that EEI Corp. promised to occupy only two lanes along the stretch of North Avenue to avoid causing further inconvenience to motorists.

“Any movement would need prior notice to the agency,” he said.

“The project will be done in six phases. So for each phase that will be completed, we will open the occupied lane immediately,” he said.

Evangeline Evangelista, MRT- 7 take at least a month for the contractor to put up posts to be used for the MRT line, adding that the six-phase construction will continue until the last quarter of 2019.

Evangelista also appealed to com- muters and motorists to be extra patient while the construction is ongoing as minutes to their travel time.

Based on MMDA data, around every day.

Motorists taking North Avenue are advised to turn left at Mindanao Avenue, right at Road 8, right at Visayas Avenue, right at QMC, then right at Commonwealth Avenue to their destination and/or from Mindanao Ave right at Congressional Avenue, then right at Luzon Avenue to Commonwealth Avenue to destination (vice versa).

Along Quezon Avenue, turn right at QMC then right at Commonwealth Avenue to destination (vice versa).

Along East Avenue, from EDSA and/ or V. Luna turn right at East Avenue to QMC, then right at Commonwealth Avenue to destination (vice versa).

Based on the MRT7 plan, the con in front of the Veterans’ Memorial Medical Center and on Agham Road. The second phase will begin on a part of Agham Road and Mindanao Avenue while the third phase will start on EDSA and Mindanao Avenue.

MRT-7 is a 22-kilometer rail system that will begin on EDSA North Avenue and will end in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.