METRO Manila's rank of having the worst traffic among the main urban centers in the world in 2023 has left the Department of Transportation (DoTr) vowing to fast-track road projects in the metropolis.

"We will fast-track road projects while collaborating with appropriate agencies with the help of the private sector," said Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista in reaction to the 2023 Tomtom Traffic Index.

Based on the study, it takes an average of 25 minutes and 30 seconds to drive for 10 kilometers in Metro Manila, which is 50 seconds slower than its previous record.

On average, a motorist in Manila spends 240 hours driving in a year, with 117 of those hours stuck in traffic. They said this time could have been spent reading 48 books.

According to the transportation data specialist, traffic in Metro Manila worsens on Friday evenings, between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., when it takes an average of 35 minutes and 30 seconds to drive 10 kilometers.

The data landed Manila on top of the list of 387 metro centers with the worst traffic ahead of Lima, Peru; Bengaluru, India; Sapporo, Japan; and Bogota, Colombia.

Bautista said the top ranking of Metro Manila in world traffic poses a challenge not just for DoTr but for other agencies as well to be creative at finding lasting solutions to metro traffic.

"Our ongoing road transport infrastructure projects are directed at improving commuter experience while addressing worsening traffic in highly urbanized areas," he said in a statement issued over the weekend.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) earlier admitted that Metro Manila has a serious traffic problem.

However, it expressed reservations about the study ranking it as the worst in the world in 2023.

MMDA Acting Chairman Romando "Don" Artes said they want to know the methodology employed, if there is an actual count and when the study was conducted.

Artes said factors contributing to the worsening traffic include the increasing number of vehicles, road repairs, illegal parking, ongoing infrastructure projects, the suspension of the No Contact Apprehension Policy, and vehicular accidents.

To solve the worsening traffic, he said the MMDA is looking into the proposed EDSA elevated walkways and has recommended the construction of subway trains.

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