Solon urges gov't to replicate Malaysia's SMART tunnel
Published Oct 6, 2019 03:09 pm
By Charissa Luci-Atienza
Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo urged Sunday the government to look into the feasibility of replicating Kuala Lumpur's Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel (SMART) to address the worsening traffic situation along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA).
Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo (FACEBOOK/ MANILA BULLETIN)
He said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) should study whether or not the construction of a road tunnel under EDSA is possible.
“A Malaysian-type SMART underneath EDSA is another option that might help solve the horrendous vehicular congestion in EDSA,” Romulo said in a statement.
“We would urge the Department of Public Works and Highways to look into the feasibility of constructing under EDSA a dual-purpose channel patterned after Kuala Lumpur’s SMART,” he said.
Romulo, chairman of the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture, made the call after conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) offered to build a 10-lane elevated, steel toll expressway over EDSA to address the traffic situation in the metropolis.
“Since we can no longer widen EDSA, the only options left are to put up an elevated road above and alongside the Metro Rail Transit 3, as proposed by SMC, and/or build a new motorway below EDSA ,” Romulo said.
He noted Malaysia's four-lane, double-decked SMART is a major national infrastructure project costing about $515 million.
According to him, SMART serves as four-kilometer motorway for light motor vehicles under normal conditions.
But, during the wet season, it serves as 9.7-kilometer flood control system, Romulo said.
"During the wet season, the tunnel has two modes. In the first mode, with light rainfall, some floodwater may be diverted into the lower bypass channel, while the upper section remains open as a motorway. In the second mode – during heavy rains – even the upper channel is temporarily closed to all motor vehicle traffic and automated water-tight gates are opened to divert floodwaters," he said.
"After the flooding, the tunnel is cleaned via pressure-washing, and the motorway is reopened to traffic usually within 48 hours of closure," the House leader cited.
Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo (FACEBOOK/ MANILA BULLETIN)
He said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) should study whether or not the construction of a road tunnel under EDSA is possible.
“A Malaysian-type SMART underneath EDSA is another option that might help solve the horrendous vehicular congestion in EDSA,” Romulo said in a statement.
“We would urge the Department of Public Works and Highways to look into the feasibility of constructing under EDSA a dual-purpose channel patterned after Kuala Lumpur’s SMART,” he said.
Romulo, chairman of the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture, made the call after conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) offered to build a 10-lane elevated, steel toll expressway over EDSA to address the traffic situation in the metropolis.
“Since we can no longer widen EDSA, the only options left are to put up an elevated road above and alongside the Metro Rail Transit 3, as proposed by SMC, and/or build a new motorway below EDSA ,” Romulo said.
He noted Malaysia's four-lane, double-decked SMART is a major national infrastructure project costing about $515 million.
According to him, SMART serves as four-kilometer motorway for light motor vehicles under normal conditions.
But, during the wet season, it serves as 9.7-kilometer flood control system, Romulo said.
"During the wet season, the tunnel has two modes. In the first mode, with light rainfall, some floodwater may be diverted into the lower bypass channel, while the upper section remains open as a motorway. In the second mode – during heavy rains – even the upper channel is temporarily closed to all motor vehicle traffic and automated water-tight gates are opened to divert floodwaters," he said.
"After the flooding, the tunnel is cleaned via pressure-washing, and the motorway is reopened to traffic usually within 48 hours of closure," the House leader cited.