METRO MANILA URBAN TRANSPORTATION INTEGRATION STUDY TECHNICAL REPORT NO. 5: TRANSPORTATION TERMINALS FIGURE 2.10 Legend: DISTRIBUTION OF TRANSFERS BETWEEN TAXI AND OTHER MODES Scale: 1cm2= 15000 2-11 METRO MANILA URBAN TRANSPORTATION INTEGRATION STUDY TECHNICAL REPORT NO. 5: TRANSPORTATION TERMINALS 2.3 Review of the JUMSUT and Terminal Conditions Among the major transportation planning studies conducted for Metro Manila in the past is the Metro Manila Transportation Planning Study (JUMSUT) in 1983-84. The study was undertaken by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, Government of Philippines with technical assistance provided by the Government of Japan, through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). One of the objectives of the study is to prepare the public transport system development plans including the terminal facilities. Traffic surveys and investigations on the public transport systems were carried out carefully and several improvement plans were proposed. However, the implementation of said plans were not realized due to the lack funds. Figures 2.11 to 2.13 are comparative photo essays of the terminal conditions during the JUMSUT and MMUTIS periods. FIGURE 2.11 COMPARISON OF THE TRAFFIC CONGESTION AT TERMINAL AREAS, JUMSUT AND MMUTIS JUMSUT (1984) MMUTIS (1996) Angle parking of vehicles on road forcing pedestrians to walk on the road where traffic flows. Sidewalk vendors are a sight at most LRT stations forcing pedestrians to encroach on the carriageway. Haphazard bus and jeepney maneuver coupled with disregard of traffic rules by pedestrians. 2-12 METRO MANILA URBAN TRANSPORTATION INTEGRATION STUDY TECHNICAL REPORT NO. 5: TRANSPORTATION TERMINALS FIGURE 2.12 PNR TUTUBAN STATION Old PNR Tutuban Station in 1984 Tutuban Redevelopment (scale model) PNR Tutuban Station area is a redevelopment project with the removal the old station and the building of a new commercial complex. However, there is no provision for a proper public transportation facility. FIGURE 2.13 AURORA BLVD/EDSA INTERSECTION AREA JUMSUT (1984) MMUTIS (1996) Unfortunately, no improvement is observed in this area for the past 10 years or more. It is expected that the on-going LRT Line 3 project will bring about changes to the traffic situation of the area. 2-13 METRO MANILA URBAN TRANSPORTATION INTEGRATION STUDY TECHNICAL REPORT NO. 5: TRANSPORTATION TERMINALS The general traffic conditions at terminal areas for 1984 and 1996 are shown in Figures 2.11 to 2.13. Additionally, succeeding photos depict the existing terminal conditions by major public transport modes. There are presently five (5) types of public transportation modes operating in Metro Manila. These are the PNR railway, LRT (Line 1), Bus, Jeepney and Tricycle. The transportation terminals are basically provided separately by type of mode. (PNR Inter-urban Railway) Presently, the Philippine National Railway (PNR) is the only inter-urban railway operated from north to south in Metro Manila. The PNR rehabilitation project has been recently carried out to provide efficient commuter rail service. However, reliability and efficiency of the service has not improved yet. FIGURE 2.14 EXISTING PNR STATIONS A station in the urban center. Entrance of the station occupied by vendors and squatters. A station in the suburban area showing Station area occupied by squatter houses. passengers on the rail tracks. (LRT Line 1) LRT Line 1 is operating from Monumento to Baclaran passing through the urban center of Metro Manila. The system was initially planned to carry 250 thousand passengers per day. However, almost 400 thousand passengers are presently using the system daily. 2-14 METRO MANILA URBAN TRANSPORTATION INTEGRATION STUDY TECHNICAL REPORT NO. 5: TRANSPORTATION TERMINALS Due to this extremely large demand, major terminal areas are very congested with passengers overflowing from station and pedestrian walkways. Likewise, a lot of jeepneys and tricycles are competing for passengers on the frontage roads of the stations. In order to meet the large demand, Line 1 expansion program is being undertaken. This will eventually place added burden on the operation and management at terminal areas. FIGURE 2.15 EXISTING LRT LINE 1 STATION AREA LRT passengers overflowing at stations. Paralyzed traffic by passenger and Jeepneys. LRT passengers overflowing at sidewalks. Unutilized space in front of LRT station (BUS) The bus transport system is the most important public transportation mode for the medium to long distance trip users in Metro Manila. This is due to the lack of efficient rail-based transport system. A large number of buses on the major arteries are generating serious traffic bottlenecks, particularly at bus stops and terminal areas as shown in Figure 2.16. Presently there are more than 100 bus companies serving urban and inter-urban routes. Their terminals are provided individually, scattered along EDSA and along the LRT Line 1 corridor. The terminal conditions differ from one another. Only a few large bus companies can afford to build a comfortable terminal facility while most of the other companies have to manage within a limited space and facility. Furthermore, there is no appropriate coordination with other public transport modes to access the terminals. 2-15 METRO MANILA URBAN TRANSPORTATION INTEGRATION STUDY TECHNICAL REPORT NO. 5: TRANSPORTATION TERMINALS FIGURE 2.16 EXISTING BUS STOPS AND TERMINALS Insufficient bus stop Double parking disturbing general traffic flow No facility for transfer in front of the bus terminal. Inside of the bus terminal of a large bus company. FIGURE 2.17 EXISTING JEEPNEY TERMINALS Off-road terminal (improper maintenance) Jeepney terminal utilizing local road Off-road terminal (vacant land) Road-side parking 2-16 METRO MANILA URBAN TRANSPORTATION INTEGRATION STUDY TECHNICAL REPORT NO. 5: TRANSPORTATION TERMINALS (Jeepney) The highest share in the public transportation modes in Metro Manila is the jeepney. There is quite a large number of jeepneys existing basically for short and medium distance commuter trips. The jeepneys are operated by small private companies so that they can use only vacant spaces or road spaces for their terminals. Because of their serious impact on traffic, MMDA and LGU’s in coordination with the jeepney associations are providing appropriate loading and unloading areas for the jeepneys to lessen or avoid their uncontrolled operations on the major arteries. 2.4 Results of the Passenger Interview Survey at Terminal From the transportation planning point of view, the largest problem involving terminals is the traffic congestion around terminal areas. Terminal users are both the victims and the causes of the problem. To better understand the terminal problem, MMUTIS conducted a Passenger Interview Survey in 1996, the pertinent results of which are presented in Table 2.3. TABLE 2.3 TERMINAL PROBLEMS NOTED BY PASSENGERS Jeepney Bus LRT Total Problems No. % No. % No. % No. % Poor outside access 394 18.3 246 21.0 132 14.0 772 18.1 Congestion inside 186 8.6 94 8.0 193 20.4 473 11.1 Unpaved grounds 230 10.7 91 7.8 46 4.9 367 8.6 Unclean surroundings 398 18.5 106 9.0 68 7.2 572 13.4 Poor security 237 11.0 158 13.5 73 7.7 468 11.0 Poor waiting facilities 365 16.9 269 23.0 177 18.8 811 19.0 Undisciplined drivers 128 5.9 66 5.6 7 0.7 201 4.7 Others 63 2.9 3 0.3 62 6.6 128 3.0 No Answer 153 7.1 139 11.9 186 19.7 478 11.2 Total 2,154 100.0 1,172 100.0 944 100.0 4,270 100.0 Source: MMUTIS, 1996 8% 1% 17% Poor Outside Access Congestion Inside 23% Unpaved Ground Unclean Surrounding Poor Security 26% Poor Waiting Facilities Undisciplined Drivers 10% Others 9% 6% 2-17 METRO MANILA URBAN TRANSPORTATION INTEGRATION STUDY TECHNICAL REPORT NO. 5: TRANSPORTATION TERMINALS The combined totals for all three transport modes showed “poor waiting facilities” as the terminal problem most frequently mentioned by the respondents (19%), followed by “poor outside access” (18%), and “unclean surroundings” (13%). Among the transport modes, bus terminals were considered to have more poor outside access (21%). The LRT terminals were viewed as congested (20%). The jeepney terminals, on the other hand, were assessed to have a problem of unpaved grounds (11%). 2.5 Identified Problems and Issues Transportation terminal problems are summarized in Table 2.4. While the problems remain unchanged since 1983 (JUMSUT), the magnitude of these problems has increased. TABLE 2.4 SUMMARY OF CURRENT PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED IN PUBLIC TRANSPORT TERMINALS CBD’s Suburban Areas Public a) Increasing walking distance a) Accessibility to trunk Transport in access, transfer PT routes Passengers b) Increasing discomfort in b) Longer waiting time waiting and access c) Lesser choice of c) Increasing danger in waiting, destinations loading/unloading d) Safety of travel d) Increasing difficulties in transfer Operators/ a) Lack of turn-around spaces a) Profitability Drivers b) Lack of waiting spaces Terminal Users c) Lack of loading/unloading places/facilities Other Road a) Traffic congestion in terminal Users areas b) Non-availability of parking spaces From a) Increasing overall traffic cost a) Providing reasonable Government/ due to increasing bottleneck level of public transport Overall National in terminal area service to isolated Economic b) Decreasing accessibility to areas Viewpoint economic growth centers c) Decreasing development potentials at growth centers d) Increasing difficulties in route control and management 2-18 METRO MANILA URBAN TRANSPORTATION INTEGRATION STUDY TECHNICAL REPORT NO. 5: TRANSPORTATION TERMINALS 2.6 Key Issues in Developing Terminals 2.6.1 Role of Public Sector The Government has played a minimal role in developing transportation terminals in Metro Manila. However, as traffic congestion worsens everyday, both the public and private sectors are realizing the importance of terminal construction. At present, the following terminals have been proposed: a) FTI Bus-Jeepney Terminal (Private); b) Fort Bonifacio Multi-Modal Station (Private); c) Valenzuela Multi-Modal Station (Private); and d) Alabang Bus-Jeepney Terminal.