Ex-lawmaker proposes counterflowing EDSA Busway to deter violators

The EDSA Busway is perhaps the best thing that has happened in this thoroughfare since its inception during the pandemic. With this busway, city buses no longer block 2 or 3 lanes of EDSA and commuters are given a fast and reliable transit system.

Though the penalty for violating the EDSA Busway ranges from PHP 5,000 to as much as PHP 30,000, there are still many individuals who see the busway as an express lane to skip traffic, from motorcycle riders to VIPs, politicians, and even high-ranking Philippine National Police (PNP) officials.

An ex-lawmaker has proposed a solution to deter busway violators: reverse the flow of the EDSA Busway – meaning it will counterflow along the country’s busiest avenue.

Returning senatorial candidate, Panfilo Lacson has suggested a counterflowing EDSA Busway, echoing a similar proposal from the Department of Transportation (DOTr) in November 2024. The core idea is that reversing the bus lane’s direction would naturally discourage illegal entry due to the risk of head-on collisions, with buses running at 50 kilometers per hour.

“To prevent unauthorized vehicles from using the bus way, MMDA (Metropolitan Manila Development Authority) may consider studying the infrastructure reconfiguration to reverse the direction of buses passing through the bus lanes and make the problem solve itself,” said Lacson on X (formerly Twitter).

“Nobody wants a head-on collision,” added Lacson.

Last year, the DOTr, via message to Autoindustriya.com, said that the feasibility study was underway, with the challenging part being the EDSA-Ayala area. DOTr also added that in the event that the counterflowing EDSA Busway would be implemented, additional safety measures should be implemented along the whole stretch of the busway, including signaling systems, lane markings, barriers, and even additional manpower.