THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has completed the first part of the project to rehabilitate EDSA, two months ahead of schedule.
Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon made the announcement on Monday following round-the-clock repair work on EDSA over the Holy Week break.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered that the repair should not take two years as originally planned, but be completed much earlier.
Among the areas inspected was the southbound lane of the Magallanes Flyover, which was reopened to motorists after undergoing rapid repairs.
Dizon also checked the newly laid asphalt and refreshed lane markings along the Taft Avenue section in Pasay City, where crews carried out intensive work during the holiday period to minimize disruption to daily traffic.
He said preparations were underway for Phase 2, with bidding set to begin soon.
The next phase will cover a longer stretch of EDSA: from Orense in Makati City to Monumento in Caloocan City.
The 23.8-kilometer EDSA is the longest and most congested highway in Metro Manila. It passes through six of Metro Manila’s 17 local government units: Caloocan, Quezon City, San Juan, Mandaluyong, Makati, and Pasay.
Dizon said that with faster implementation, the rehabilitation cost would be reduced to P6 billion from the original estimate of P17 billion, a savings of P11 billion.
Among the action plans on EDSA will be the expansion of pedestrian lanes, the implementation of shared bike lanes and repair stops, pedestrian waiting sheds, and the removal of obstructions along the commuter route.
“If you drive along EDSA every day, it’s really stressful if you’re a commuter. We really need to fix it once and for all, our president said. There are so many complaints, but nothing is happening,” said Dizon.
