MANILA — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) reminded motorists that it would start on Friday night its nearly weeklong emergency repairs along EDSA, which could spawn heavy traffic.

The agency will conduct asphalt overlay and reblocking in 15 EDSA sites from 10 p.m. of August 4 until 5 a.m. of August 9, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) earlier said.

"I hope that the weather will continue improving para makapag-repair naman kami ng mga potholes caused by yung inundation ngayon, lalong-lalo na sa mga main highways natin," DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan said.

"Sisimulan na namin mamayang gabi ang pagkukumpuni ng mga potholes natin. Ready naman yung mga maintenance crew at saka quick response teams namin. Tuloy naman, kaya lang ‘pag umuulan, hindi naman kami makapag-patch…hindi naman puwede mag-asphalt [overlay] ‘pag umuulan," he told TeleRadyo Serbisyo.

(I hope that the weather will continue improving so we could start repairing potholes caused by the recent floods, especially in our major highways. We will start the repairs tonight. Our maintenance crew and quick response teams namin are ready. Repairs will push through, but we cannot patch up the potholes or do asphalt overlay if it rains.)

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The DPWH eyes "a more permanent solution" to fix damaged sections of EDSA by next year, Bonoan said.

"Para hindi yung every weekend nagre-reblocking, under our engineering ways and technologies that are now available, lane by lane puwede nating gawin…and magagamit na after a few days," the official said.

(We will no longer need to do reblocking every weekend. Under our engineering ways and technologies that are now available, we can repair EDSA lane by lane, and it could be used again after a few days.)

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The MMDA earlier urged commuters to avoid EDSA or take the MRT during the Aug. 4 to 9 repairs.

The repairs will cover the following areas:

• Fronting Hurom / Philam Homes
• Before Benitez St. (after Trinoma)
• HQ BBM (near Octoboy)
• DDT Skytower (Centris Station) - Albano
• Before Guadalupe Bridge (whole length)
• Rockwell Footbridge - Kalayaan (whole length)
• Footbridge before Trinoma – front Landmark
• Quezon City 2nd DEO Office – Centris
• Corinthians – after AFP
• Before MMDA (Sunshine Media Marketing)
• Guadalupe MRT – Guadalupe Bridge
• Footbridge Trinoma – SM North
• Front SM North and Nice Hotel – Muñoz footbridge
• Fronting Ricoa – Avida Towers
• Before Floor Central and Wilcon
  

In a Facebook post late Thursday, the MMDA identified the following alternate routes that motorists could use.

This slideshow shows alternate routes that motorists could use during the Aug. 4 to 9 emergency repairs along EDSA. Image from MMDA

This slideshow shows alternate routes that motorists could use during the Aug. 4 to 9 emergency repairs along EDSA. Image from MMDA

This slideshow shows alternate routes that motorists could use during the Aug. 4 to 9 emergency repairs along EDSA. Image from MMDA

This slideshow shows alternate routes that motorists could use during the Aug. 4 to 9 emergency repairs along EDSA. Image from MMDA

This slideshow shows alternate routes that motorists could use during the Aug. 4 to 9 emergency repairs along EDSA. Image from MMDA

This slideshow shows alternate routes that motorists could use during the Aug. 4 to 9 emergency repairs along EDSA. Image from MMDA

This slideshow shows alternate routes that motorists could use during the Aug. 4 to 9 emergency repairs along EDSA. Image from MMDA

This slideshow shows alternate routes that motorists could use during the Aug. 4 to 9 emergency repairs along EDSA. Image from MMDA

This slideshow shows alternate routes that motorists could use during the Aug. 4 to 9 emergency repairs along EDSA. Image from MMDA

This slideshow shows alternate routes that motorists could use during the Aug. 4 to 9 emergency repairs along EDSA. Image from MMDA

This slideshow shows alternate routes that motorists could use during the Aug. 4 to 9 emergency repairs along EDSA. Image from MMDA

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