Pablo, Yosef Maru B.

P252 Transportation Modelling

Determining Possible Outcomes of Implementing

Congestion Charging Schemes Along EDSA using Multinomial Logit

In 2012, the idea by MMDA of converting EDSA into a tollway surfaced with the intent
similar to a scheme practiced in Singapore and Stockholm. The idea is to charge motorists
upon entering a designated zone in business districts in peak hours. The objective is to
develop alternative routes for private vehicles and amass funds for infrastructure upgrade
and maintenance.
Traffic congestion in Metro Manila has become a Metro Manila at night has a
population of 12 million and 15 million in the daytime showing a migration of three million
persons. This adds to the millions of people who commute within the city. According to the
MMDA, major roads are already insufficient to cater to the rapidly rising traffic volume. In
terms of costs, the national government estimates that Metro Manila's congestion suffers a
loss of around Php 128 billion due to lost productivity, illness, wasted fuel and vehicle
maintenance. According to a World Bank Report, pedestrians and commuters from lower
income groups account for 75% of all trips in Metro Manila. The Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA) noted in a report that despite the economic growth, the country
risks losing Php 6 billion a day by 2030 because of worsening congestion. The JICA said
that such costs will continue to rise if adequate solutions are not implemented. If adequate
solutions are implemented, suppose that 30,000 vehicles pass through main roads everyday
and each vehicle is able to save one liter of fuel per day due to congestion reduction. At an
average price of Php 45.00 per liter, this would create savings of Php 1,425,000 per day per
road.
In Stockholm, In response to the severe congestion on the main access roads during
peak hours, a congestion pricing system was implemented as a tax levied on most private
vehicles entering and exiting central Stockholm, Sweden. In 2006 a trial demonstrating
congestion charging was carried out to see how it might: reduce the amount of traffic on
main roads during peak house, address congestion problems, augment accessibility,
promote the use of public transport, and improve the environment. The trial yielded positive
results. Trial results showed decrease in vehicle traffic as driving is made more expensive
and reductions of traffic congestion and travel times. In 2007 the congestion tax scheme
came into effect. The measure was implemented not only to address accessibility and
environment issues, but also to help develop infrastructure. Five years after introduction the
Centre for Transport Studies conducted a study on the effects of the measure and it showed
that the congestion charges eventually lead to a decrease in congestion, motorists turning to
public transport, and a change in attitude by the public from opposition to in favor.
The same scheme might prove favorable to the case of Metro Manila, though it might
be virtually impossible to convince local government units to conduct trial runs for a toll
scheme along EDSA since it will definitely be met with a lot of public opposition. An
alternative to this would be to utilize multinomial logit to determine possible outcomes of
implementing congestion charging schemes along EDSA. The independent variable being
the congestion charges to be implemented along the highway and see to what degree will
motorists decide to take an alternate route or to switch modes.
Data shall be collected via observational survey for traffic count, and household self
completion survey for route and mode choice. Hopefully this can shed light on how
implementing a congestion charging scheme can address several problems including low
level of service along major roads and the environment.
References:
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"Stockholm Congestion Tax." Wikipedia. Accessed November 23, 2016.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockholm_congestion_tax.

Alcazaren, Paulo. "10 Reasons Why EDSA Is the Avenue of Hell." Philstar.com. June 22,
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Brjesson, Maria, Jonas Eliasson, Muriel Hugosson, and Karin Brundell-Freij. "The
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http://www.tmleuven.be/expertise/seminar/20111205_Stockholm.pdf.

Frialde, Mike , and Rainier Allan Ronda. "Skybridge, toll eyed to decongest EDSA."
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Lopez, Melissa Luz T., and Elizabeth E. Escao. "HPG: More Needs to Be Done to Ease
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