CHAPTER 2 DEVELOPMENT SCENARIO FOR INTEGRATION AND STANDARDIZATION IN METRO MANILA CHAPTER 2 DEVELOPMENT SCENARIO FOR INTEGRATION AND STANDARDIZATION IN METRO MANILA The total length of operational railway lines in Metro Manila currently stands at about 63 km - - LRT Line 1, LRT Line 3, and the Tutuban to Muntinlupa section of PNR. Compared with other metropolitan areas extent of railway services in Metro Manila—with its population of 9.5 million as of 1995is rather sparse. Coupled with other metropolitan areas in the world, the extent of railway services in Metro Manila is limited. 2.1 Railway Development Scenario for Metro Manila (1) Transport development issues The transport problem is already bad and is expected to get worse due to: 1) continued concentration of population and economic activities in the National Capital Region; 2) disorderly expansion of the urbanized areas; 3) rapid rate of motorization triggered by income and population growths; 4) slow pace of road network development; and 5) lack of integration among different public transport modes. Following the trend set in the late 1970s, sub-urbanization is proceeding unabated without the corresponding land use development controls and advance reservation or delineation for a future transport network. Dispersal of urban functions in Metro Manila has occurred - not by design but by the accidents of commerce. Thus, several nodes of commercial/business and educational concentrations arose in Makati, Ortigas, and Cubao. Meantime, large-scale developments are being pushed in Fort Bonifacio in Taguig, in the Manila Bay area called Boulevard 2000, and in Alabang dubbed as Fil- invest City. These are expected to make transport problems worse, especially of movements to and from them. As a reaction, rather than as pro-active steps, the government implemented various transport projects, such as several flyover structures on C-4 and other major roads, the Skyway project on South Luzon tollway, MRT 2, etc. Because of lack of coordination among government agencies and unclear policies in securing the right-of-way, second and third level structures were built in some intersections. 2 - 1 (2) Urban environmental issues Poor urban aesthetics as well as heavy reliance on carbon-emitting motor vehicles have conspired to create high levels of air pollution. Relief is not foreseen, without a drastic change in the transport system. (3) Necessity of railway network Short of re-building the urban pattern, the only feasible option to road-scarce Metro Manila is to shift a large part of future demand into railway transport. It is less demanding of land space, and capable of handling large commuter volumes. Historical experience on road developments without complementary railway networks in large metropolitan areas has shown the futility of such efforts. New roads simply induce more vehicles, requiring more roads in a never-ending loop. Metro Manila recorded a total of 30 million person trips a day in 1996, only 2.3% or 0.4 million trips of which were carried by rail. With such a low base, the potentials for a railway-based mass transit system can only be high. Expansion of the railway network in Metro Manila will contribute greatly to the following: 1) alleviation of traffic congestion, 2) improvement of environmental condition through a reduction of air pollution and global warming, 3) savings in travel time, 4) safer and more reliable urban commuting, and 5) more efficient conduct of other urban activities. (4) Development Strategies for Railway Network 1) Hierarchy of railway lines in Metro Manila With due consideration to traffic demand by 2015, a railway network configured into a hierarchical system of services can be conceptualized as in Table 2.1.1. and Fig. 2.1.1. 2 - 2 Table 2.1.1 Hierarchy of Railway Network in Metro Manila toward 2015 Daily Traffic Hierarchy Railway Line Function Demand (Person/day) Inter-regional line to formulate north-south axis MCX Rapid commuter line along the most progressive Trunk Line urban areas 1.2 million PNR North Line (Longer station interval, the adjoining area of station is developed as regional core) Urban truck road to disperse to CBD and educational zones in Manila City LRT No.1 0.59 million (Shorter station interval, the adjoining area as high-intensity land use zone) Circulation Line Urban circulation line to disperse to CBD and institutional & educational zones along EDSA LRT No. 3 corridor 0.56 million (Shorter station interval, the adjoining area as high intensified land use zone) Rapid commuter line between CBD and the western part of Metro Manila MRT No.2 0.56 million (Long station interval with high frequency, mass transport and stable operation) Commuter line between CBD and the northern part of Metro Manila Commuter Line LRT No.4 0.75 million (Long station interval with high frequency, mass transport and stable operation) Commuter line between CBD and the southwestern part of Metro Manila LRT No.6 0.40 million (Long station interval with high frequency, mass transport and stable operation) Complementary line for LRT & MRT lines to serve CBDs along the EDSA corridor and Monorail, guiderail reclamation area of Manila Bay Feeder Line ― system, Bus ways (Short station interval with high frequency and stable operation, the adjoining area as multi- functional land use) Source: SIRNMM Study Team 2 - 3 2) Elements of a Rail-oriented transport network Integration with other transport modes Rail should be seen as the bulk carrier with the other modes—bus, jeepney, and private car—feeding into it in accordance with their competitive characteristics. To achieve this integration, it is essential to systematically develop inter-modal facilities over time. Formulation of a railway hierarchy Within the rail mode of transport, there must be a hierarchical network of lines running the heavier density corridors of Metro Manila. These lines, once built, must necessarily be operated efficiently and commercially. Re-enforcing railway as a dominant public transport In order to maximize utilization of railway assets, the following measures should be put in place: 1) development of bus and jeepney terminals, pedestrian decks and road improvements to upgrade accessibility to the railway stations from other transport modes, 2) improvement of railway station facilities and amenities; 3) adherence to railway technical standards to secure reliability and safety of the operation, 4) introduction of through operation where viable, 5) adoption of a common railway tariff system designed for users convenience, 6) re-orienting railway organizations toward higher utilization and efficiency of operations, 7) re- structuring of bus and jeepney routes, as well as utilization of tricycles to serve access within a short radius of the station, and 8) formulation of supporting rules and regulations to realize the above. Integration with land use Future large-scale developments should incorporate and take into consideration railway transport. In particular, • In order to strengthen the circumferential railway line (LRT No.3) and to disperse the urban functions, urban redevelopment in the northern parts of EDSA should be promoted, in tandem with development restrictions in the inner areas of C4. Conceivably, these could include an industrial zone in the adjoining areas of Balintawak, a transshipment point connected with the North Superhighway and MRT No.3, and industrial estates for the small and medium-sized companies. 2 - 5 • New residential estates shall be constructed and supported by railway services within a 30-km radius to meet the population pressure of 24 million in the greater Metro Manila area by year 2015, whilst avoiding concentration of the urban function in the inner core. • Zoning controls around stations should be imposed to promote the railway utilization. For this reason, station area developments should be designated in the comprehensive development plans of the LGUs. • In order to minimize undue inflows of inter-regional traffic to the CBD, bus and truck terminals need to be developed at the entrance points of the northern and southern parts. 2.2 Standardization of Railway Transport (1) Obstacles to railway development Essential characteristics of rail transport include: 1) alleviation of road congestion by mass transit, 2) ensuring safety and stable operation, 3) environment-friendly and energy- efficient. On the minus side are the huge initial investment cost, relatively expensive operation and maintenance costs, aside from low financial viability. In the Metro Manila case, the advantages have often been negated by fragmented developments of the railway lines, sparseness of the railway network, and disregard of users' convenience. (2) Impetus for railway technical standard In the absence of an explicit technical standard on railways in the Philippines, compatibility of the railway facilities and equipment—tracks, rolling stocks, signal/telecommunication and operation aspects—among the various railway lines can not be assured. In such a situation, high procurement cost and inefficiency of operation and maintenance are not surprising. Aside from addressing the foregoing concerns, a technical standard on railways is needed to ensure safety (safety for the passengers and inhabitants along the railway lines, prevention of accidents), to establish a regime of punctuality and quick restoration, and to improve the service levels in terms of comfort, seamless transfers, and friendliness to handicapped persons). 2 - 6 (3) Contents of railway technical standard