DOTr eyes 3 more busways in C-5, Quezon Ave. and Ortigas-Aurora Blvd.

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The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is planning to establish three new busway corridors across Metro Manila that would complement the existing EDSA Busway system.

This was bared by DOTr Undersecretary for Roads Mark Steven Pastor in his remarks at a forum organized by the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) in Pasay City on Thursday.

The Transportation Department identified three thoroughfares for the busways plans, namely the C-5 Corridor, Quezon Avenue Corridor, and Ortigas-Aurora Corridor.

The C-5 Corridor busway will be 45.6 kilometers long with 88 bus stops.

The Quezon Avenue line will be 26.24 kilometers with 62 bus stops, while the Ortigas-Aurora busway will be 30.50 kilometers with 65 bus stops.

Pastor said the three corridors, under the planned NCR Busway Project will “expand the success of the EDSA Busway into a metropolitan network integrated with rail, terminals, and major activity centers.”

At the sidelines of the forum, the DOTr official told reporters that the three National Capital Region (NCR) main roads have been identified following an initial study funded by a World Bank grant.

Pastor said the agency is currently finalizing the terms for a foreign grant to conduct a detailed feasibility study for the new corridors.

"The concern now is how to have a more detailed study," he said.

He added that the proposed three new busways are envisioned to feature dedicated lanes with better accessibility design than the existing EDSA line.

"We hope that it's more improved… still a dedicated lane, but would be more catering now to... more PWD-friendly compared to the EDSA Busway," Pastor said.

The projections for ridership, private sector participation (PPP) structure, and operation models for the new routes will be finalized once the detailed design study is finished, he said.

Meanwhile, for the existing EDSA Busway system, Pastor said that the 2027 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) from the House of Representatives has allocated P75 million for infrastructure improvements in the coming year. —RF, GMA News