The Vital Role of the EDSA Busway Why We Need It This title effectively captures the main argument of the post, which is to emphasize the importance and benefits of preserving and expanding the EDSA Busway as a vital part of the city's mass transit system.

The Vital Role of the EDSA Busway Why We Need It

As the MRT-3's capacity increases, some have suggested dismantling the EDSA Busway to provide more road space for private vehicles. However, this proposal overlooks the significant demand for mass transit on EDSA and neglects the benefits that the busway provides.

Prior to the pandemic, nearly 2 million public transport passengers relied on EDSA's services, with the MRT-3 and buses carrying around 1.3 million and 500,000 daily, respectively. These figures likely underestimate the true demand, as many commuters curtail their travel due to inadequate public transportation options.

In the next two years, the MRT-7 is expected to come online, adding another 500,000 or more passengers daily between Bulacan and EDSA. Without significant additional mass transit capacity, there will be longer queues on the MRT-3 and the EDSA Busway, as well as heavier congestion for motorists.

The Case for Expansion

Investing in the EDSA Busway is a high-yielding mass transit investment that can yield significant returns. With proper design and additional investment in vehicles and infrastructure, the EDSA Busway can move from 1.5 million to over 2 million passengers daily.

This expansion would bring numerous benefits, including

A fourfold increase in capacity
Zero-emission buses for a cleaner environment
Cashless fare collection systems for faster boarding and alighting
New stations with full weather protection and restrooms
Direct service approaches connecting commuters from Dasmariñas, Cavite; Alabang; Biñan, Laguna; and Valenzuela, Bulacan

The Value of Redundancy

Critics argue that having buses and trains on the same alignment is a mistake. However, this redundancy offers commuters a higher quality of service, with options to transfer between modes or travel directly to their destinations.

In fact, many cities around the world successfully integrate bus and rail services, such as London, Singapore, New York, and Seoul. Redundancy has immense value, allowing for efficient and productive use of road space.

Preserving the EDSA Busway

As we move forward with mass transit development on EDSA, it is crucial that we prioritize preserving the EDSA Busway. This corridor is a critical economic and social hub, connecting numerous business districts, dense residential areas, and transportation hubs.

The Guadalupe Bridge rehabilitation presents an opportunity to prioritize travel modes that move the greatest number of people – in this case, preserving the EDSA Busway plus two mixed traffic lanes will move many times more people than dismantling the busway and preserving three mixed lanes.

Consulting Users

Before making any decisions about modifying or closing the EDSA Busway, our decision-makers should consult with users. Hundreds of thousands of commuters rely on this service daily, and their opinions are crucial in shaping the future of mass transit on EDSA.

As we move forward in transforming our transportation system, it is essential that we prioritize the needs of our citizens and ensure that our decisions are guided by data and consultation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, dismantling the EDSA Busway to provide more road space for private vehicles is a misguided idea. Instead, we should be expanding and improving this critical mass transit service to meet growing demand and provide commuters with a reliable, efficient, and convenient travel option.

By preserving the ESDA Busway and prioritizing the needs of our citizens, we can create a transportation system that is ecstatically better for everyone involved – a true transformation in 2025.

Edward Lance Arellano Lorilla

CEO / Co-Founder

Enjoy the little things in life. For one day, you may look back and realize they were the big things. Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.