UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHER MINDANAO
STUCK IN THE CITY: THE URBAN TRAFFIC DILEMMA
AL-AG, HAN’Z
CAPITAL, LUCKY ANDREW
DE ROMA, JENNIE
ENESPEROS, JADE AXEL
FLORES, GLYDYL MAE
JUSTINIANI, CHARLES
ORONG, JENNY
PAGULONG, MERRIE YAWEHH UN
PANAYAMAN, IMAN
TAYONG, LIZA MAE
TORMIS, JER KEZEAH
3 BSCE – A
HIGHWAY AND RAILROAD ENGINEERING
INSTRUCTOR
AUGUST 19, 2025
Introduction
Traffic congestion has long been one of the major transportation problems in the
Philippines, especially in big cities like Metro Manila, Cebu, and Davao. It happens when too
many vehicles use the roads at the same time, causing slower movement, longer travel hours,
and heavy build-ups of cars. From a highway engineering perspective, traffic congestion
creates major challenges in designing roads, planning traffic systems, and managing vehicle
flow. It is more than just the frustration of being stuck on the road because it reduces the
efficiency of roads, increases safety risks for drivers and commuters, and contributes to
bigger issues such as lost productivity, health problems, and pollution.
For highway engineers, this shows the importance of better traffic management,
upgraded road systems, and innovative designs that can keep pace with the growing number
of vehicles despite limited road space. As cities continue to grow and more people rely on
vehicles, many roads can no longer handle the demand, turning traffic jams into a daily
reality in urban areas.
This study will look into the major causes of traffic congestion, its effects on society,
the economy, and the environment, as well as the engineering solutions that could help ease
the problem. By studying these factors, engineers and policymakers can come up with
practical measures, such as smarter traffic signals, stronger public transport systems, and
modern road designs, that will help ease congestion and improve mobility in urban areas.
Description of the Issue
Traffic congestion is a very obvious result of rapid urban growth overtaking the roads
capacity to accommodate the number of vehicles available. It has been identified as a long
social, political and economic issue not only in Metro Manila but also in its surrounding
cities. In Metro Manila, the country’s biggest and most complex region, cost is in a constant
increase. Transport and logistics expenses are more expensive, poor air quality, reduce
productivity and time management, and affect the quality of life. Due to traffic congestion a
survey conducted by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) finds out that if
nothing is done, the predicted daily transportation costs in Metro Manila alone would rise
from PHP3.5 billion in 2017 to PHP5.4 billion by 2035.
Recent article published by Top Gear Philippines highlights the fact how worst this
problem remains. TomTom Traffic index ranked Metro Manila as the worst traffic in the
world in 2023 among the 387 cities with an average of roughly 27 minutes and 18 second to
travel 10 kilometers and even longer by approximately 10 minutes during Friday from 5-
6pm. On the brighter side, Metro Manila rated ninth-worst among metro regions in 2024
which was extended to 500 cities, but remains among the slowest in the globe.
Meanwhile, according to 2024 TomTom Traffic index, Davao City has surpassed
Metro Manila as the most traffic-congested urban center in the Philippines. Where it
significantly impacting the daily lives of its residents since the city's rapid urbanization and
economic growth have led to a substantial increase in vehicle volume, resulting in significant
traffic jams, especially during peak hours on major roads. The congestion level in Davao City
was 49%, meaning vehicles took approximately 49% longer to travel. This put Davao City
behind Mexico City (52%) and Bangkok (50%) in congestion levels. In terms of average
travel time per 10 kilometers, Davao City was ranked eighth globally with a time of 32
minutes and 59 seconds. This was an improvement of 28 seconds compared to 2022 data.
Thus, Metro Manila's population density is exceptionally high, leading to widespread
congestion across the entire metropolitan area. And its problems are deeply rooted in
historical centralized economic policies and persistent right-of-way acquisition challenges
that delay crucial infrastructure projects. While Davao City is rapidly growing, its congestion
issues are often exacerbated in specific high-traffic zones or the city center. Where it also
experiences infrastructure project delays due to ROW issues, but its rapid economic
expansion and relatively newer urbanization contribute more directly to increased vehicle
volume.
Congestion can mostly occur in the major corridor like EDSA that holds an average
vehicle volume of 421,000 per day. Overwhelming rise of infrastructure that sparks from the
Build, Build, Build, program of the former president should be address by balancing it like
allocating enough space to meet the demand of the transportation especially in highly
urbanized areas where the center of trade is located because every second counts.
Causes of the Issue
Poor roadway and intersection design, insufficient street capacity, and the lack of
properly functioning traffic signals disrupt smooth traffic flow, causing frequent delays and
accidents (Najeeb et al., 2023). Inadequate pavement conditions, potholes, and ongoing road
repairs further worsen bottlenecks, forcing drivers to slow down or divert (Ali et al., 2023;
Khan et al., 2024). Moreover, the absence of adequate parking spaces urges drivers to occupy
sidewalks and road shoulders, reducing road capacity and increasing choke points (Asilum et
al., 2025). Similarly, limited pedestrian infrastructure compels pedestrians to share roads with
vehicles, creating safety hazards and forcing vehicles to slow down, further worsening traffic
conditions (Abaya, 2011). This practice reduces the effective width of roadways and creates
choke points that impede the smooth flow of vehicles
Environmental factors also play a crucial role in intensifying congestion. The rapid
rise of vehicle ownership has led to overcrowded roads, increasing greenhouse gas emissions,
air and noise pollution, and declining quality of urban life (Johnson & Martinez, 2021)
(Estoque et al., 2021). Weather conditions and climate-related challenges add another
environmental key to the issue. Heavy rainfall, which is frequent in the Philippines, often
leads to localized flooding that renders some road sections and forces vehicles to slow down
considerably (Najeeb et al., 2023). The absence of adequate drainage systems and flood
control exacerbate these problems, as even moderate rain can create traffic standstills.
Without proper drainage and flood control, even a slight rainfall can lead to traffic
congestion.
Economic growth contributes to traffic congestion. Only in 2023 the number of
registered gasoline-powered vehicles increased by 2.5% surpassing the expansion of road
capacity and increasing the demand on the limited infrastructure (PSA, 2024). Daily
congestions are made worse by longer commutes and heavy traffics in major corridors due to
the centralization of businesses, schools, and services in urban cores while affordable housing
stays on the boundary (Cambridge Systematics, 2014). According to Navarro and Latigar
(2022), congestion is intensified by inadequate and postponed investments in transportation
infrastructure: in spite of plans, right-of-way problems, financial limitations, and extended
implementation schedules delay capacity expansion, trapping the cities in a situation of
demand-supply imbalance. Furthermore, many commuters are forced to use private vehicles
due to underdeveloped and congested public transportation systems; according to the
estimation from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), traffic costs Metro
Manila billions of dollars every day, mostly as a result of poor mass transit and service (JICA,
2021; JICA, 2024). Together, these economic factors increase the cost of travel, lower
productivity, and make the traffic cycle worse.
Congestion is worsened by social dynamics. One of the major factors is travel
behavior: synchronized work and school routines intensify demand during peak hours,
overcrowding highways specific peak hours. Inefficiency, discomfort, and unreliability of
public transportation as a perception, discourage commuters from abandoning private
vehicles, which contributes to the high level of reliance on cars (JICA, 2024). The
uncontrolled expansion of urban areas or urban sprawl reduces the potential for mixed-use,
walkable communities, while fragmented development increases average travel distances and
reliance on vehicles (Boquet, 2013). Disruptions to the environment and society, like flooding
in low-lying areas, further lower the effective road capacity and as a result, passengers adjust
by leaving earlier, which ironically worsens peak traffic. Through the development of habits,
interests, and settlement patterns that increase dependence on crowded highways, these social
variables contribute to congestion.
Impact of the Issue
Heavy traffic in highly urbanized area can lead to significant technical problems,
especially involving infrastructure damage and performance decline. Klym et al., 2025 states
that the build-up of cracks and materials gradual deterioration is a result of structural
deformation that is mainly caused by seismic activity, overloading and vibrations especially
when there is a heavy traffic. It also reduces the transportation infrastructure capacity as
overcrowding pushes them below their designed efficiency. High traffic congestion also
means frequent malfunctions and maintenance needs. As stated by Danczyk et al., 2016, the
malfunctions rate of infrastructure sensors in America have resulted to ineffective control of
traffic as it exceeds 25%. Damage to drainage systems was also one of its impacts as heavy
traffic can compressed the soil in drainage systems. According to Cambi et al., 2015, soil
compaction occurs when mechanical stress like from heavy cars caused the pore space in the
soil to decrease, as this happens, the water will have a hard time to flow and water runoff may
occur causing soil erosion and damage the infrastructures.
Aside from these technical problems, traffic also drags on the economy of the city in
three ways: it increases operating and repair cost, it generates delay, and it wastes
productivity that when totaled is a wasted potential. The stop-and-go driving consumes more
fuel as it generates more heat in almost all mechanical components, increases wear of the
brake/tires. Waiting time spends fuel without going any distance, increasing the cost on both
household or fleets. In Metro Manila for instance, inefficiencies in traffic translate to lost
billions of pesos as economic loss annually because fuel consumption and wear grow,
reducing trips and travel time regularly (Lo, 2024). Delays occurs when the average speeds
drop, resulting in unpredictable travel times; costing money in lost work hours and missed
deliveries. In Manila, drivers lose 188 hours per year due to rush-hour traffic, a figure that
multiplied across millions of commuters leads to huge economic losses (Study: Metro Manila
Motorists Lose 188 Hours, P56k to Rush-Hour Traffic Yearly, 2021). Lost productivity occurs
when either the worker or fleet of vehicles is unable to move due to traffic, and a worker
completes less trips, services, or deliveries. Companies may pay more money on labor plus
inventory. Domingo et.al (2015) averaged the cost of traffic on the EDSA and suggested
approximately ₱5.5 billion per year not including travel time.
This traffic congestion also has a various social and environmental impacts.
According to World Health Organization (2023), from the data of Philippine Statistics
Authority (PSA), it shows that the road traffic accidents in the Philippines are increasing
from 2011 with 7,938 traffic deaths to 11,096 traffic deaths in 2021 which means it increased
to 39% within 10 years. This issue may also lead to displacement just like what happened to
the North-South Commuter Railway project where some residents are forced to leave
( Lesaca et al., 2025 ). Burning more fuel from stop-and-go driving leads to more pollution
because of the increased level of CO₂, NOₓ, and PM₂.₅. Vehicles in Manila is account for
approximately 80% of urban air pollution and there was up to a 52% reduction of NO₂ levels
during the lockdown where there is no vehicular movement and no traffic (Myllyvirta, 2020).
Current Measures
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has developed a general
traffic decongestion plan for Metro Manila that is in line with the 2023–2028 Philippine
Development Plan and the President's 8-point socioeconomic agenda. The project aims to
enrich and enhance the road system with more expressways, bypass roads, flyovers,
interchanges, and bridges in an attempt to offer alternative routes and shorten travel time.
Key projects include the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3, nearly completed NLEX-SLEX
Connector Road, Southeast Metro Manila Expressway, C5 South Link, Laguna Lakeshore
Road Network, Cavite-Laguna Expressway, and several new bridges over Pasig River and
Manggahan Floodway. The symbolic Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge, the country's longest
bridge, will reduce travel time between provinces by a significant amount while bypassing
Metro Manila. The DPWH likewise has in its agenda the rehabilitation of EDSA and seismic
strengthening of major bridges such as Guadalupe and Lambingan, funded by JICA. The
agency is also pushing for active transport via bike lanes and pedestrian facilities. Secretary
Manuel Bonoan stressed that it is the proper coordination among government agencies, the
private sector, and communities that would be able to successfully implement these projects.
The Philippines' Department of Transportation (DOTr) is attempting to relieve traffic
congestion in Metro Manila through public-private partnerships (PPPs), following the
region's rating as the world's worst metro in a mobility index. The TomTom Traffic Index for
2023 classified Metro Manila as the most congested of 387 metro areas worldwide, with an
average travel time of 25 minutes and 30 seconds for 10 kilometers. Motorists lose at least
117 hours managing Manila gridlock and average barely 19 kilometers per hour during peak
hour.
The DOTr is aiming to speed up road construction and partner with the business
sector to enhance commuter experiences and traffic conditions in urbanized regions,
particularly Metro Manila. Under Jaime Bautista's leadership, the DOTr is working to
complete road and rail projects in Metro Manila to ease traffic congestion. Private developers
such as San Miguel Corp. are constructing road projects to reduce travel time and connect the
Skyway System to the east of Metro Manila via the Southeast Metro Manila Expressway. The
DOTr is also investing P1 billion this year in active transportation infrastructure, like as bike
lanes and pedestrian pathways, to encourage alternate modes of transportation.
The effectiveness of the DPWH and DOTr's decongestion programs continues to
remain bittersweet. On the positive, the government has taken tremendous strides in
increasing road capacity with projects such as the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3, NLEX-
SLEX Connector Road, and Southeast Metro Manila Expressway that aim to offer alternative
roads and reduce travel time. Also in progress are EDSA rehabilitation and seismic
retrofitting of large bridges, which can potentially relieve chronic bottlenecks. Meanwhile,
the DOTr has greatly invested in active transport facilities, with bike lane coverage exceeding
more than 564 kilometers nationwide with the goal of 2,400 kilometers by the year 2028, and
pedestrian projects such as the EDSA Greenways. This growth is underpinned by increasing
use of bicycles, with 36% of Metro Manila households having bicycles against only 9–11%
of them having cars (MB, 2024) and an official 7.2% increase in cycling activity between
2024 (PIA, 2025).
However, major challenges remain. Even with new expressways and flyovers,
congestion in Metro Manila worsened in 2023. The TomTom Traffic Index ranked the city as
the worst in the world. During peak hours, travel speeds fell to just 19 km/h. Commuters lost
an average of 117 hours a year stuck in traffic (Inquirer, 2024; Philstar, 2024). Many bike and
pedestrian facilities suffer from poor design, lack of lighting, and blockage from vehicles or
businesses (Wikipedia, 2024). This undermines safety and usability. In some cases, like the
EDSA bike lane, the low usage has sparked talks about whether they should be changed to
support motor vehicles (Reddit, 2024). This shows gaps in integration, maintenance, and
enforcement. While the projects by DPWH and DOTr align with the Philippine Development
Plan and show strong ambition, their ability to reduce congestion is still limited by rapid
urban growth, increasing car dependence, and fragmented implementation. Overall, the
initiatives show progress in expanding infrastructure and supporting active transport.
However, without thorough planning and consistent enforcement, their long-term effect on
Manila’s traffic crisis remains unclear.
Recommendation
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