DOTr: Motorists should expect traffic on some NCR roads due to tunnel boring machine transport

Heading out this coming weekend? You might want to check your route before you leave. This Tuesday, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced that certain roads in Metro Manila might experience heavy traffic from February 2 to 5. This is attributed to the transportation of a tunnel boring machine (TBM) for the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP). On the specified dates, the TBM will be transported from 5th Avenue to Dona Julia Vargas Avenue, the DOTr also stated that motorists should expect traffic between the hours of 10:00 PM to 4:00 AM.

Here is a list of affected roads during the specified dates:

• 5th Avenue (from 11:00 PM to 12:00 AM)
• Araneta Avenue (from 1:00 AM to 2:00 AM)
• Ortigas Avenue – C5 Road (from 2:30 AM to 3:30 AM)
• Doña Julia Vargas Avenue (from 3:30 AM to 4:00 AM)

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) recommends that motorists impacted by the tunnel boring machine (TBM) transport opt for alternative routes. 

If you may recall, tunneling work for the MMSP officially started in January last year. This first phase encompasses the construction of a train depot in Ugong, Valenzuela, along with the establishment of the Quezon Highway station, Tandang Sora station, and North Avenue station. Once completed, the Metro Manila Subway is anticipated to commence operations by 2028, covering a total distance of 33 km with 17 stations. The subway project has a total budget of P488.47 billion and upon full operation, it is projected to accommodate 519,000 passengers daily.

For now, though, construction for the subway project is still underway so occurrences like these are inherent to the building process. If you’re passing through any of the mentioned roads at the specified dates and times, be sure to plan an alternate route to avoid delays.