Katipunan Traffic: Videos of Congestion on 20 August 2008 (Due to Suspension of Classes)

http://booleanlogic.multiply.com/video/item/35/Katipunan_Traffic_Congestion_on_20_August_2008_Video_3

http://booleanlogic.multiply.com/video/item/33/Katipunan_Traffic_on_20_August_2008_Video_1


http://booleanlogic.multiply.com/video/item/34/Katipunan_Traffic_Congestion_on_20_August_2008_Video_2


http://booleanlogic.multiply.com/video/item/36/Katipunan_Traffic_Congestion_on_20_August_2008_Video_4

Imagine There's No Traffic

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Note: My blog is about my world (Raffy's World) which intersects with the world of thousands of people living/working in Loyola Heights, Katipunan area in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines.

Part of this world is the traffic congestion occurring every weekday (which is true in most parts of Metro Manila).

Today, I remember the song of John Lennon -- IMAGINE.

What if we include a paragraph in the song about traffic?

Here is my first attempt:


Imagine there's no traffic
Congestion in Katipunan
No wasted time and gasoline
And no air pollution too
Imagine all the people
Living for today


Below is the lyrics of the song "Imagine" by John Lennon:

"
Imagine there's no Heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
"

Cheers,

Raffy :)

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Katipunan Traffic: 2nd Day of Documentation (15 Aug 2008)

Photo Caption: Traffic congestion in the corner of Katipunan Ave. and Xavierville Ave., 6:45 a.m., 15 August 2008. (Photo by Raffy Saldaña , http://raffysaldana.blogspot.com/).

Notes:

1. The two-way two-lane Xavierville Avenue is turned into a one-way road by undisciplined overtaking drivers during the morning rush hour traffic. Recommendation: MMDA traffic personnel should be assigned in this area during traffic peak hours to ease the traffic congestion.

2. The morning rush hour started earlier on 15 August 2008 compared to the previous day. Although the clogging in the bottom portion of the Katipunan-Aurora flyover (towards North) has eased, the congestion was shifted to the the Katipunan service roads (on both sides) and under the Katipunan-Aurora flyover affecting mainly motorists going into the Ateneo Grade School Campus through Gates 1 and 2... R. Saldaña.



Click on the link below to see the photos (Suggestion: choose the slideshow option):


http://booleanlogic.multiply.com/photos/upload-ajax/146

Related Links:

http://raffysaldana.blogspot.com/2008/08/photos-study-on-traffic-congestion-in.html

http://raffysaldana.blogspot.com/2008/08/videos-preliminary-study-on-traffic.html
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Videos: A Preliminary Study on Traffic Congestion in Katipunan (in the Vicinity of Ateneo de Manila University)

6:45 a.m., August 14, 2008

7:00 a.m., August 14, 2008

Related Link:

http://raffysaldana.blogspot.com/2008/08/photos-study-on-traffic-congestion-in.html

Raffy Saldaña



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Photos: A Preliminary Study on Traffic Congestion in Katipunan (in the Vicinity of Ateneo de Manila University)

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(Click on the photos to see a larger image.)


6:00 a.m.


6:00 a.m


6:00 a.m

6:00 a.m.

6:30 a.m.

6:30 a.m.

6:45 a.m.

6:45 a.m.


6:45 a.m. (Xavierville)

6:47 a.m.

7:00 a.m.

7:00 a.m.

7:00 a.m.

7:30 a.m.

7:30 a.m.


7:30 a.m.

(All photos taken by Raffy Saldaña. All Rights Reserved.)
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While pondering on the problem of traffic congestion in Katipunan Avenue in the vicinity of Ateneo de Manila University, I decided to do my own data gathering (to be used in my mathematical modeling and computer simulation studies of traffic dynamics).

This morning (14 August 2008) I woke up early and took photos and video clips of the "evolution" of traffic congestion in the area of Katipunan Avenue which includes the Katipunan-Aurora fly-over, the intersection of Katipunan Avenue and Xavierville Avenue, the road from Aurora Avenue to Katipunan Avenue coming from Marikina City proper, and Ateneo de Manila University Gates 1 and 2. This area includes the u-turn slot for vehicles going South and making a u-turn towards North.

Some Notes and Observations:

1. I took photos from 6:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. in the following times: 6:00 a.m., 6:30 a.m., 6;45 a.m., 7:00 a.m., and 7:30 a.m.

2. From a smooth traffic flow at 6:00 a.m., traffic flow becomes heavier with peaks occuring at 6:45 a.m. in the intersection of Katipunan Ave. and Xavierville ave. , and at 7:00 a.m. in the right side of the Katipunan-Aurora flyover going to Ateneo (from the south).

3. Traffic flow eases starting at7 :15 a.m. and becomes relatively smooth at 7:30 a.m.

4. Gridlock occurs between 6:45 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. in the intersection of Katipunan Ave. and Xavierville Ave. due to the heavy volume of vehicles trying to make a u-turn under the Katipunan-Aurora flyover.

5. The two-way two lane traffic at Xavierville Ave. becomes a one-way three-lane street due to impatient drivers who occupy the left lane to make a right turn to Katipunan Ave.

6. The heavy volume of traffic occurs between 6:45 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. because at this time period grade school students (including prep and kinder) are being brought to the Ateneo Grade School through Gates 1 and 2. The Ateneo Grade School students must be in their classrooms before 7:15 a.m. because the customary flag ceremony (which signals the start of the schoolday) begins at 7:15 a.m.

7. Clogging in a portion of Katipunan-Aurora flyover occurs around 7:00 a.m. because vehicles going towards North are being deterred by vehicles exiting from the Ateneo Gate 2.5 and those vehicles entering Gate 2.


Raffy Saldaña
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MMDA: Tricycles No Longer Allowed in Katipunan

From the Ateneo Blueboard: TRAFFIC BULLETIN (Thursday, 14 August 2008) KATIPUNAN TRICYCLES & TRAFFIC TRICYCLES 1. MMDA (Metropolitan Manila Development Authority) personnel informed tricycle drivers and operators this morning that tricycles will not be allowed along Katipunan starting tomorrow, Friday 15 August 2008. This was confirmed by MR. ALEX A. BAAY, President of the Loyola Pansol Tricycle Operators and Drivers Assoc. (TODA) and Mr. ROMEO C. MORALES, President of Loyola Heights TODA. 2. Katipunan is part of C5, a major thoroughfare, and tricycles are not allowed on major thoroughfares. 3. Some LPTODA (Green) and LHTODA (White) tricycles will try to enter the campus very early tomorrow morning and provide tricycle services on campus. 4. Tricycle terminals will be allowed near Gate 2.5 footbridge and at Gate 3.5 footbridge. 5. Tricycle-riding members of the community may encounter problems going to school and offices tomorrow. TRAFFIC 1. Campus security has learned from an unofficial source that MMDA will extend the concrete barriers separating northbound vehicles coming from the flyover and the service road till past Gate 2. 2. This means that only northbound vehicles using the service road will be able to enter Gate1 and Gate 2. 3. Northbound vehicles coming from the flyover will have to enter Ateneo via Gate 3. From the University Plant Office Ateneo de Manila University

MMDA: Experimental Traffic Scheme in Katipunan to Continue

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During the news on TV (Channel 7, Unang Hirit) yesterday, August 13, 2008, a Metropolitan Development Authority (MMDA) official announced that the "Experimental" Traffic Scheme in Katipunan will continue.

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What is the Scientific Basis of MMDA's Traffic Scheme in Katipunan?

Figure Caption: A simplified diagram of traffic flow in the vicinity of Ateneo de Manila University in Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City.


Yesterday, the Philippine Inquirer Online published an article which states that soon there will only be one vehicle entrance to the Ateneo Campus. (See link: http://raffysaldana.blogspot.com/2008/08/update-on-katipunan-traffic-from.html).

This proposal was negated by an Ateneo official announcement. (See related blog entry: http://raffysaldana.blogspot.com/2008/08/ateneos-position-on-proposed-mmda.html).

As a concerned citizen, I would like to make a critique on the proposed traffic scheme of MMDA (Metro Manila Development Authority):

1. In the current set-up there are three operational vehicle entrances to the Ateneo campus: Gates 1, 2, and 3; and there are two vehicle exits: Gates 2.5 and 3.5. (Note: Gate 1 is open only during morning rush hour).

2. During morning peak hours, from 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. the bulk of vehicles entering the Ateneo campus are those used by Grade School and High School students. These vehicles may use Gates 1 and 2 for the Grade School and Gates 2 and 3 for the High School.

3. In the proposed traffic scheme by MMDA, motorists may no longer use Gates 1 and 2 and only Gate 3 will be used to enter Ateneo. MMDA's reason (according to news report) is to prevent clogging near the Katipunan-Aurora flyover.

4. What is the effect of this proposed new traffic scheme? From the simplified diagram (shown above) we can see that if motorists will be allowed to enter only through Gate 3 and they will be allowed to exit through Gates 2, 2.5 and 3.5, there will still be clogging in the area between Gate 2 and Gate 3, and this will create a potential gridlock. In fact, there will be a bigger chance of accidents happening because vehicles exiting from Gate 2.5 (and Gate 2 if allowed) will be in conflict with vehicles trying to enter Ateneo through Gate 3.

5. The proposed MMDA scheme will not solve clogging of vehicles in Katipunan area (in the vicinity of Ateneo de Manila University). Instead of solving a traffic problem, it will spawn other traffic problems both inside and outside the Ateneo Campus.

6. The MMDA should have a public forum where the MMDA's proposal can be presented (so it can be discussed openly) BEFORE the scheme is implemented. The MMDA cannot arbitrarily impose on the public whatever scheme they want to do, especially if the scheme is without a scientific basis!


Raffy
(A victim of MMDA traffic mismanagement)
12 August 2008

( Note: Sometime in 2000 and 2001 my thesis student (Winfer Tabares) and I did a research project on modeling and simulation of traffic using cellular automata. However, the model needs to be updated considering the various traffic schemes that MMDA is implementing in the Katipunan area.)
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