MANILA — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will be implementing its traffic rerouting scheme for the 17 month rehabilitation and upgrading of the Sevilla Bridge in Mandaluyong City.
The partial closure of the bridge traversing Shaw Boulevard and P. Sanchez in Santa Mesa, Manila will start at 10 p.m. Saturday.
“We have been removing illegally parked vehicles and other obstructions along alternative routes for the past three weeks,” MMDA Assistant General Manager for Planning Jojo Garcia said in a press conference in Makati City Friday.
MMDA will be coordinating with the local government units of Mandaluyong, San Juan, Manila, and Makati to mitigate the traffic congestion in the area.
Traffic enforcers would be deployed to manage traffic flow in the area and to assist affected motorists.
Affected motorists are encouraged to take the following alternative routes:
EASTBOUND TRAFFIC:
From Magsaysay Boulevard, turn right to Old Sta. Mesa/Valenzuela Street, then right to Cordillera, left to Lubiran traversing to Boni Avenue going to Maysilo roundabout, and exit to FB Martinez Avenue, then right to Shaw Boulevard going to your destination.
From Magsaysay Boulevard, turn right to V. Mapa then right to Old Sta. Mesa then left to Reposo Street, left to Valenzuela, turn right to V. Mapa, right to Bagumbayan Street, then left Lubiran then left to Kalentong, then right to Shaw Boulevard going to destination
WESTBOUND TRAFFIC:
From Shaw Boulevard, turn right to F. Blumentritt St., then left to F. Manalo Street, then right to Old Sta. Mesa then left to Araneta Avenue going to destination
From Shaw Boulevard, turn right to Gomezville/Hoover/Haig, then turn right to F. Blumentritt Street, left to Old Sta. Mesa then right to V. Mapa then left to Aurora Boulevard going to destination
From Shaw Boulevard, turn right to F. Blumentritt Street to N. Domingo to destination
Furthermore, the truck ban along Shaw Boulevard will be adjusted from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. while the reconstruction is ongoing.
The Sevilla Bridge consists of two lanes – eastbound and three lanes westbound.
Partial closure will be done making three lanes available at all times or a two-way traffic at one lane per direction and another counter flow lane at the middle depending on the volume of vehicles.
The reconstruction of the bridge to be undertaken by a private contractor 24/7 aims to strengthen its capacity and increase its water elevation to allow barges to pass underneath that will cater to equipment and remove debris during dredging periods.
Around 40,000 vehicles are traversing the bridge daily according to the MMDA Traffic Engineering Center. (/PNA)
