The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) replaced the concrete barriers in EDSA with steel bollards.
Workers of MMDA installed steel bollards along EDSA near Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong yesterday.
According to Celine Pialago, the spokesperson for the MMDA, the bollards would serve as additional barriers along the EDSA Busway.
Motorists blamed the concrete barriers, which were used to separate the EDSA Busway from the other lanes, as the cause recent of accidents.
Pialago, however, said the accidents were “100 percent the fault of drivers” and that the barriers would remain in place.
“MMDA statistics showed that the concrete barriers did not cause the accidents,” she said.
Around 6,000 bollards would be placed along EDSA, including underpasses and overpasses.
In June, MMDA has recorded 31 EDSA accidents as motorists collided with concrete barriers on the highway.
Of the said number, 20 accidents occurred between 6 p.m. until before 6 a.m., where there is free traffic flow.
According to MMDA spokesperson Celine Pialago, it is possible that drivers did not notice the barriers due to the speed of their driving.
“Maiiwasan po ang aksidente kung tayo po ay mananatili lamang sa ating lane, hindi po tayo mag over-speeding kapag madaling araw at ‘yun po ‘yung dahilan kung bakit nagkakabiglaan po doon sa mga nasabing concrete barriers,” she explained.
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MMDA replaces EDSA concrete barriers with bollards
The official added that they would not remove the barriers because “the concrete barriers are not at fault.”
Concrete barriers are also reflectorized, so motorists should see them as well.
“Inalis po natin ‘yung mga orange [plastic] barriers kasi ito po nililipad kapag malakas po ‘yung hangin at ulan. Diyan po naiintindihan natin na mabubulaga po ‘yung mga motorista,” said Pialago.
According to Spot.ph, 17,382 of the 121,771 road accidents MMDA recorded in 2019 happened in EDSA alone.
“Five accident-prone areas along EDSA were cited in the report: Between Arnaiz Avenue and Ayala Avenue in Makati City; the intersections of Shaw Boulevard and Ortigas Avenue in Mandaluyong City; and between Aurora Boulevard and P. Tuazon Boulevard in Cubao, and between Timog Avenue and Kamias Road in Quezon City,” it added.