The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is crafting a traffic management system to ease the flow of vehicles along Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City amid the increase in the volume of vehicles in the area.

Katipunan Avenue is home to three large academic institutions-- the University of the Philippines-Diliman Campus, the Ateneo de Manila University and the Miriam College-- and monstrous traffic jams are the usual problem in the area especially during rush hours.

Since the start of the classes, the MMDA monitored an increase in the volume of vehicles along Katipunan Avenue, especially near the Ateneo and Miriam College. 

The MMDA Traffic Engineering Center noted an increase in vehicle volume in the southbound portion of the area at 32 percent in the morning and 24 percent in the afternoon from May to August this year.

"We are looking at adjusting Ateneo de Manila's entrance gate for vehicles without stickers to accommodate more vehicles that would lessen traffic congestion in Katipunan Avenue, said MMDA general manager Procopio Lipana who led the inspection of the area on Thursday, Sept. 7.

Lipana said they are also considering the service road from Marikina near the school's Gate 2. Currently, this service road is only utilized by pedestrians.

Another suggestion from the MMDA is to reduce the number of left-turning lanes into Ateneo from the southbound. 

"We are also mulling on limiting the lanes they use into two during rush hours by putting traffic cones," Lipana said.

Data from the MMDA Traffic Engineering Center recorded a daily average of 2,757 vehicles traversing northbound, going to Commonwealth during 7am-8am, while 6,636 vehicles are going to Aurora Boulevard. 

On afternoon peak hours at 5pm-6pm, 4,854 vehicles were recorded traversing northbound while 5,697 were traversing southbound.

Last week, the MMDA held a consultative meeting with officials from Ateneo de Manila University, Miriam College, and the University of the Philippines Diliman, where they expressed cooperation in easing traffic flow in their respective areas. (Trixee Rosel)