MMDA puts on hold HOV lane

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has put on hold the high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane which was tested along Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (EdSA) for a week saying it needs longer time to study it.

Celine Pialago, MMDA Spokesperson, said officials have decided to extend the dry run for the HOV lane until the end of this month, adding that “there will be no apprehensions for HOV lane violation.”

“The technical working group on the HOV will come up with a recommendation in January based on the data gathered during the dry run,” said Pialago.

Pialago earlier admitted that the personnel manning the Metrobase Command Center are having a hard time monitoring vehicles with heavily tinted windshields.

Originally, the MMDA set December 18 as the date for the full enforcement of the policy where vehicles with only a single occupant caught plying the HOV lane will be fined.

The MMDA also warned that during Christmas time, there is a 20 percent increase in traffic volume because of the influx of people and vehicles from Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan, and Central Luzon.

To help mitigate traffic problems, the MMDA implemented traffic measures, such as moratorium on road repairs and diggings, no delivery of goods during daytime, adjustment on mall operating hours and no sale during weekends. (Anna Liza Villas-Alavaren)