A second 24-hour ‘express trade lane’ is set to open in Manila to allow truckers to ferry goods to provinces south of Metro Manila, Vice Mayor Isko Moreno said.
The new route will allow trucks coming from the Port Area and using the first trade lane on Roxas Boulevard to pass through Quirino Avenue and Osmeña Highway to get to the South Superhighway and vice versa.
This came at the heels of proposals from the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) to provide additional dedicated routes for truckers to decongest the Manila’s North and South harbors.
Moreno said that the city government is studying the proposals “based on requests for truckers to be able to travel from the port to the provinces of Laguna and Batangas.”
“This additional route was approved by Mayor Joseph Estrada on Monday. In the coming days, the Manila City Council will take official action to launch the route,” he added.
The first express trade lane on the northbound and southbound sides of Roxas Boulevard allow truckers to travel from Manila to Cavite 24 hours a day.
Meanwhile, PPA General Manager Juan Sta. Ana said in a press conference held Monday that they were pushing for the opening of more trade routes, including the Roxas Boulevard-Quirino Avenue-Osmeña Highway-South Superhighway route and vice versa.
“These new trade routes will help us decongest the ports quicker,” Sta. Ana said. “And we hope that the Manila ports can be decongested soon before the peak season for imports come in time for the Christmas season.”
PPA’s proposed second route to and from the South Superhighway involves trucks traveling through P. Burgos, Finance Road, Ayala Boulevard and San Marcelino before ending up on Quirino Avenue. The reverse route would see trucks traveling from Quirino Avenue to Plaza Dilao, Quirino Avenue Extension, United Nations Avenue, Romualdez Street, Ayala Boulevard, P. Burgos and on to the Port Area.
Other proposed routes were the following: Bonifacio Drive–Road 10–C3 Road–Bonifacio Street and vice versa for truckers with deliveries in provinces north of Metro Manila; P. Burgos–Finance Road–Ayala Boulevard–San Marcelino Street–Quirino Avenue–South Superhighway–Nichols–C5–Ortigas Avenue Extension for trucks serving Rizal province and cities east of Manila; C5–Pasig Boulevard–Dr. Sixto Antonio Avenue–Ortigas Avenue for Pasig-bound trucks; and Road 10–C3 Road–Bonifacio Avenue–Quirino Highway–Commonwealth Avenue–Batasan Road–Batasan-San Mateo Road–J.P. Rizal Street–Bayan-Bayanan Avenue–E. Manalo Street–Guerilla–Mayor Gil Fernando Avenue–Sumulong Highway for truckers serving the Quezon City, Marikina, Pasig and Rizal areas.
