The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is planning to set up bus rapid transit (BRT) systems along España Boulevard in Manila and Quezon Avenue in Quezon City, Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said.
Dizon said the DOTr has been doing a feasibility study on the project, eyed for completion by 2026.
Dizon, on the sidelines of the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines’ (EJAP) Infrastructure Forum on Monday, said the country should have more BRT systems given the mobility challenges in Metro Manila or the National Capital Region.
“To me, the most viable and the most needed one is España to Quezon Avenue. That is very important. Busway [at] España, Quezon Avenue. That is going to be very viable,” Dizon said.
Dizon justified the project by pointing out the lack of buses in the España-Quezon Avenue stretch, especially for students.
He said the government may operate the busway in the beginning before privatizing its operation and maintenance.
He did not say if the feasibility study was covered by a foreign grant or the regular budget of the DOTr.
España Boulevard cuts through the University Belt or the line of universities in Manila. Jeepneys, buses, cars and taxis traveling through España usually come from Quezon Avenue in Quezon City, one of the biggest, highly populated and commercialized cities in the Philippines. Both highways therefore have heavy traffic daily.
As of 2023, the average daily traffic volume of Quezon Avenue reached 312,486, a report from the Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department (CPBRD), said. This indicated a 59 percent increase from 183,609 in 2013.
The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system is usually designed to provide commuters with convenient, timely and round-the-clock bus service.
The BRT system is supposed to mimic the flexibility provided by buses and the speed and capacities of metro light rail systems by providing dedicated bus lanes, central busways, off-board fare collection, and frequent on-schedule services.
