MANILA – The proposal to make EDSA one-way will only work if there are enough parallel roads that motorists can take near the main thoroughfare, a renowned urban planner said Friday.

The proposed one-way scheme works in Singapore as well as in Manhattan in the US due to ample parallel roads accessible to motorists, architect Felino "Jun" Palafox told ABS-CBN News.

Cars need to have access to alternate passage ways such as shopping center access roads, school access roads, gated communities, and military camps if the use of EDSA will be limited, he said.

“It will not work unless we have parallel roads. I’m not totally against it pero kailangan pag-aralan (but it needs to be thoroughly reviewed),” Palafox said.

“Sa Manhattan, every 70 meters may parallel roads. Dito, malayo ang EDSA sa C5. Kaya dapat araling mabuti,” he added.

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EDSA does not have the capacity to handle the increased number of cars and pedestrians, which has gone up to 4 times, he said.

Traffic management proposals such as the one-way traffic scheme will only help “alleviate” the problem. It is urban transport planning, enhanced mass transport system, and the development of additional facilities such as water ferries which can be the long-term solutions to the capital’s debilitating traffic woes, Palafox said.

GPI Engineers earlier proposed to make EDSA's traffic one-way to solve the crippling traffic jams.

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