Circumferential Road 5–Kalayaan Avenue Interchange

The Circumferential Road 5–Kalayaan Avenue Interchange, also known as the C-5–Kalayaan Interchange, is a road interchange under de facto jurisdiction of Makati and under de jure jurisdiction of Taguig in Metro Manila, the Philippines. Originally a regular four-way intersection between Carlos P. Garcia Avenue, a part of Circumferential Road 5 (C-5), and Kalayaan Avenue, it was fitted in 2009 with the country's first elevated U-turn slots, built in an attempt to speed up traffic along the C-5 corridor.

Circumferential Road 5–Kalayaan Avenue Interchange
C-5–Kalayaan Interchange
Northern elevated U-turn slot of the C-5–Kalayaan Interchange
Location
Metro Manila, Philippines[lower-alpha 1]
Coordinates14°33′22.20″N 121°3′47.11″E
Roads at
junction		 N11 (Circumferential Road 5)
N190 (Kalayaan Avenue)
Construction
TypeFour-way intersection with two elevated U-turn slots
Constructed2008–2009
OpenedMay 6, 2009 (2009-05-06)
Maintained byDepartment of Public Works and Highways
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority

History
The unfinished northern section of the C-5 Kalayaan elevated U-turn slot in March 2009, about two months before its completion.
Southern elevated U-turn slot of the C-5–Kalayaan Interchange

The C-5–Kalayaan intersection is the first major intersection of C-5 south of the Pasig River, and traffic congestion in the area is very heavy, even extending to as far north as Ortigas Avenue during rush hour.[1] This ultimately led both the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to conclude that the construction of an interchange between the two roads was needed to speed up traffic.[2] However, both agencies disagreed on the final design of the interchange. While the DPWH sought to construct a 750-meter (2,460 ft), six-lane underpass to divert through traffic under the intersection,[3] the MMDA claimed that this was too expensive and impractical, and sought to build elevated U-turn slots instead,[4] which it also argued would not require other infrastructure, such as street lamps and anti-flood measures, unlike an underpass.[5]

In the end, the DPWH's proposal, which would have cost ₱600 million, was abandoned in favor of the MMDA's proposal, which was half the cost.[6] Construction of the interchange, funded by a Japanese loan package,[6] began in April 2008, when work began on the southern elevated U-turn slot, which was completed six months later. The northern elevated U-turn slot, meanwhile, began construction on December 2, 2008, and was completed on April 17, 2009.[7] During construction, traffic that would normally cross the C-5–Kalayaan intersection was diverted through Circumferential Road 3 (C-3), including Gregorio Araneta Avenue, and Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA).[2]

The entire interchange was inaugurated by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, accompanied by MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando, on May 5, 2009,[5] and it was opened to traffic the next day.[7]

Impact

The impact of the C-5–Kalayaan Interchange's construction was initially positive. Within a week of the interchange's opening, the MMDA claimed that both traffic speed and vehicular volume increased, with more than 150,000 cars now passing through the intersection daily, taking an estimated amount of 30,000 vehicles off of EDSA in the process.[8] Traffic speed on C-5 also increased from 20.85 kilometers per hour (12.96 mph) in 2006 and 2007 to 38.84 kilometers per hour (24.13 mph) within two weeks of the interchange's completion, an increase of 86%.[9]

Criticism

Criticism on the construction of the C-5–Kalayaan Interchange has been varied, and public reaction has been mixed.[10] It has been argued that the construction of the interchange led to significant public inconvenience, and criticism of the design has varied from being aesthetically unpleasing to, in the words of Lester Dizon of The Philippine Star, being a "public nuisance".[11] Another Star columnist, James Deakin, argued that the location of the elevated U-turn slots was ill-conceived, even calling the interchange one of Metro Manila's worst eyesores.[12] Journalist Korina Sanchez, meanwhile, claimed that the interchange was a PR stunt for Bayani Fernando, who she claims was not used to going unnoticed.[13]

Senator Francis Escudero meanwhile insinuated that the MMDA focuses too much energy on traffic mitigation instead of flood control, criticizing the opening of the interchange while Metro Manila was affected by flooding caused by Typhoon Emong (Chan-hom) just a few days earlier.[14]

If the MMDA can spend millions in solving the traffic problem by building elevated U-turn slots along C-5, which many derisively call the ninth and tenth wonders of the world, then how come we don’t feel it is spending the same amount of money and effort for flood control?

Structurally, the elevated U-turn slots have been criticized for failing global traffic standards,[15] even earning protest from a local association of structural engineers who questioned the interchange's safety.[16]

The C-5–Kalayaan Interchange abuts three constituent Metro Manila local government units, and while then-Pateros mayor Joey Medina and then-Taguig mayor Sigfrido Tiñga were supportive of the interchange's construction, claiming that it allows them to better manage traffic in their respective localities;[5] Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay opposed.[16]

Notes
  1. After the decision of Supreme Court that Makati should stop exercising the Embo barangays which includes this area, effectively placing the area under Taguig but it is still under process of transition and handover.

References
  1. Chanco, Boo (January 2, 2008). "Two and a half years to go". The Philippine Star. PhilStar Daily, Inc. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
  2. Yap, DJ (April 14, 2008). "Alternate routes set for C-5's U-Turn interchange project". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. Archived from the original on September 28, 2014. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
  3. Kawabata, Yasuhiro; Sakairi, Yuriko (2008). "Republic of the Philippines: Metro Manila Interchange Construction Project (IV)" (PDF). Japan International Cooperation Agency. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
  4. "MMDA Planning to Build Another U-Turn Interchange". Manila Bulletin. Manila Bulletin Publishing Corporation. March 14, 2009.
  5. Ramos, Marlon (May 6, 2009). "Arroyo opens elevated U-turn slots on C-5". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. Archived from the original on September 28, 2014. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
  6. Carcamo, Dennis (May 10, 2009). "Elevated U-turn spots save government money – MMDA". The Philippine Star. PhilStar Daily, Inc. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
  7. Frialde, Mike (May 7, 2009). "MMDA opens 'Kalayaan C-5' U-turn to traffic". The Philippine Star. PhilStar Daily, Inc. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
  8. Carcamo, Dennis (May 17, 2009). "C-5 U-turn slot decreases vehicular traffic on Edsa". The Philippine Star. PhilStar Daily, Inc. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
  9. "C5 travel speed improves". Top Gear Philippines. Summit Media. May 21, 2009. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
  10. Delos Reyes, Manny (March 25, 2009). "A hero only in name?". The Philippine Star. PhilStar Daily, Inc. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
  11. Dizon, Lester (May 21, 2008). "Public Nuisance". The Philippine Star. PhilStar Daily, Inc. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
  12. Deakin, James (May 9, 2012). "Metro Manila's worst eyesores". The Philippine Star. PhilStar Daily, Inc. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
  13. Sanchez, Korina (June 11, 2009). "Maging praktikal na rin!". Pilipino Star Ngayon (in Filipino). PhilStar Daily, Inc. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
  14. Frialde, Mike (May 9, 2009). "Lawmaker slams MMDA over flash floods". The Philippine Star. PhilStar Daily, Inc. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
  15. "U-turn scheme, world's biggest jigsaw puzzle on Probe". ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs. June 19, 2008. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
  16. Yuson, Alfred A. (February 22, 2009). "Valentine's Day Massacre by the MMDA". The Philippine Star. PhilStar Daily, Inc. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
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