You think the traffic and floods are awful this year?
Well, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) reports that 2018 was worse than 2017 in terms of congestion and flooding in the metropolis.
The STAR reported that based on the MMDA’s “operational highlights,” the average travel time along major thoroughfares in Metro Manila in 2018 was at 2.46 minutes per kilometer, which is faster by 0.01 min/km from the 2.47 mins/km target for the year.
However, this was significantly worse than the 2017 figure which showed that in 2017, the average travel time was at 2.32 mins/km, which is equivalent to 139.2 seconds per one kilometer.
The comparative data revealed that travel time in 2018 took 147.6 seconds per one kilometer, which is slower by 8.4 seconds per kilometer compared to 2017.
Meanwhile, the average time for floodwaters to subside in Metro Manila doubled last year compared to 2017.
The MMDA reported that the average time for floodwaters to subside in 2018 was measured at 30 minutes while it only took 18.5 minutes in 2017.
The MMDA said that the flood situation is mainly because only 41.63 percent of drainage systems and waterways were declogged and desilted while no flood mitigation project was completed prior to the onset of the rainy season. – With Elizabeth Marcelo/STAR
