Motorists were advised to brace for heavier traffic as the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) begins preparatory works on June 13 for the EDSA overhaul, with toll-free access to Skyway Stage 3 and the reimplementation of the odd-even traffic scheme among key measures to ease congestion.

In a joint press conference, DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan, Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon, and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) officials unveiled a five-point traffic management plan aimed at mitigating disruptions during the EDSA Rebuild project—hailed as the most extensive rehabilitation effort along the historic thoroughfare since the 1980s.

Bonoan said the initial phase will cover the northbound EDSA Busway lane from Roxas Boulevard to Shaw Boulevard.

Subsequent phases will involve the systematic repair of all remaining lanes, with full project completion targeted by December 2026.

The southbound stretch from SM North to Roxas Boulevard and the northbound portion from Quezon City–Caloocan to Monumento will undergo lane-by-lane repairs.

Multiple contractors will be deployed simultaneously to ensure continuous traffic movement during construction.

To help ease the expected gridlock, Dizon announced five major interventions: toll-free use of Skyway Stage 3, deployment of 100 additional EDSA Busway units, increased frequency of MRT-3 operations, clearing of alternate routes, and implementation of the odd-even coding scheme.

Under the traffic coding system, vehicles with license plates ending in odd numbers—1, 3, 5, 7, and 9—will be prohibited from using EDSA every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Those ending in even numbers—2, 4, 6, 8, and 0—will not be allowed every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

Dizon said the government will subsidize the toll holiday on Skyway Stage 3 to divert private vehicles from EDSA and encourage the use of alternative routes.

“We understand the inconvenience this may bring, but these measures are necessary to ensure long-term improvements in traffic and commuter safety,” he added.

MMDA Chairman Romando Artes said these measures are projected to significantly reduce traffic volume along EDSA, citing estimates of up to 40 percent reduction when both the toll-free expressway access and odd-even scheme are fully enforced.

“If Skyway Stage 3 becomes toll-free, traffic volume on EDSA may be reduced by 10 to 20 percent. Coupled with the odd-even scheme, we expect up to a 40 percent reduction. With these combined strategies, we aim to avoid a ‘carmageddon’ and instead improve travel speed across EDSA,” Artes said.

To further streamline traffic, provincial buses, trucks, and other large vehicles will be temporarily banned from entering EDSA from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The MMDA will also remove bike lane separators to widen the roadway and introduce an exclusive motorcycle lane to improve flow for two-wheel riders.

The EDSA Rebuild seeks to modernize critical infrastructure, address long-standing structural deficiencies, enhance the EDSA Busway system, and develop a safer, more commuter- and pedestrian-friendly corridor for millions of daily road users.