EDSA Carousel

Epifanio de los Santos Avenue is the main thoroughfare of Metro Manila.[8] Traffic congestion has always been a concern in the area and since 2007, the MMDA ordered buses to stay on the two right-most lanes of the road.[9] Plastic barriers were later added in 2016.[10]

A proposal for a bus rapid transit (BRT) system, using funds from the World Bank was approved in 2017.[11] EDSA was intended to be the second phase of the implementation of the bus rapid transit system, following Quezon Avenue.[12] Line 2, known as the Central Corridor, will be eventually realized as the EDSA Carousel.

On March 16, 2020, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) imposed a community quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which halted almost all public and private transportation using EDSA. This paved the way for the immediate construction of the EDSA Busway. Traffic in the EDSA Busway is restricted to authorized buses as well as emergency vehicles such as ambulances.[13] The EDSA Carousel line is distinct from the World Bank-funded BRT project.[14]

On July 1, 2020, the EDSA Carousel line, also designated as Route E, started its interim operations with a total of fifteen stops in a dedicated bus lane completed by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.[15][16]

Bus stop in Monumento

The line utilizes existing footbridges along EDSA by constructing additional stairways to the center island of EDSA. It also uses some stations of the MRT Line 3 and LRT Line 1 by making use of the train stations' emergency exit stairways.[24] Some bus stops, such as the ones at Ayala (northbound), SM Mall of Asia, and Macapagal Boulevard, still use the existing stops on the curbside, while the Ayala southbound bus stop is located inside One Ayala.[27][28]

On November 16, 2020, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) signed an agreement with SM Prime Holdings, DM Wenceslao and Associates Inc., and Double Dragon Properties Corp. for the construction of EDSA busway bridges. The bridges will be shouldered by the three companies, seeking to provide safer, convenient, and PWD-friendly walkways for the riding public using the EDSA Carousel stops, and for pedestrians crossing EDSA.[29] The pedestrian bridges were conceptualized with concourses, concierge, ticketing booths, and turnstiles for the automated fare collection system. Ramps and elevators would also be available to provide accessibility for PWDs, senior citizens, and pregnant passengers. The structures will be strategically located at the SM Mall of Asia, SM North EDSA, SM Megamall, Macapagal Boulevard in Aseana City and the corner of EDSA and Macapagal Boulevard.[29][30] The groundbreaking ceremony for the EDSA Busway Concourse Project was held on May 18, 2021. It was expected to be completed in March 2022,[30] but no updates have been announced since then.

On June 20, 2022, the Department of Transportation announced an additional 11 more stops would be added to the EDSA Carousel, which would bring the total number of stops to 29.[31] As of January 2023, three of these proposed stops have been implemented.

List of future stops

Name[31]	Type	Connections	Location
Ormoc	Un­known	Manila MRT 3 North Avenue	Quezon City
Kamuning - NIA
Cubao		Manila MRT 3 Araneta Center-Cubao Manila LRT Araneta Center-Cubao
Connecticut			San Juan
Greenfields		Manila MRT 3 Shaw Boulevard	Mandaluyong
Estrella			Makati
Magallanes		Manila MRT 3 Magallanes
Stops, stations and transit systems in italics are either under construction or proposed.

• Multiple concrete barrier-related accidents were recorded since the EDSA Carousel's operations started. According to MMDA traffic czar Edison Nebrija, most of the drivers who crashed their vehicles against the barriers were speeding, drunk, or asleep behind the wheel. Some of the concrete barriers have already been replaced with steel bollards following a series of accidents.[36]
• On April 13, 2022, the LRT-2 and MRT-3 were closed for its annual Holy Week maintenance from April 13 to 17. For the MRT-3, the EDSA Carousel filled in as an augmentation service. Despite being the third day of free rides under the government's service contracting program, the EDSA Carousel failed to keep up with the influx of demand as April 13 was still a work day and had higher ridership than in 2021 due to offices requiring workers to return to the workplace.[37] As a result, many commuters struggled to go home as queues for the EDSA Carousel spilled out onto the road and its adjoining streets on all stops along the bus line.[37] Many commuters remained stranded at the stops beyond midnight, and many opted to walk home instead. The lack of buses has also been attributed to a slow rollout of service contracting subsidies and high gasoline prices which influenced drivers and operators not to ply their routes, in fear of operating at a loss.[38] Later that night, the LTFRB has since deployed skip buses to decongest the EDSA Carousel stops. Motorists along EDSA had also offered to give stranded commuters a ride. Commuters criticized the intensified anti-colorum operations that took place on the same day, disturbing any attempts for private individuals to rescue the stranded commuters.[38] On April 14, the day after, Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade issued a formal apology for the situation, acknowledging the lack of buses, and promising not to allow the incident to happen again.[38]