Why the orange barriers moved on EDSA

Liters of water that are supposed to give weight to the orange barriers on EDSA evaporated quickly due to the heat on the highway, the Metro Manila Development Authority said on Monday.

This is the reason why the plastic segments near EDSA-Ortigas seemed to have moved on their own to block Metro Manila's main artery after a car breezed out of the bus lanes into those reserved for private vehicles.

The video of the barriers moving to block the road even if no vehicle hit them went viral over the weekend.

The barriers are meant to separate the private vehicles from the buses since the MMDA began to strictly implement the yellow bus lane in January.

“We have coordinated for a regular check of the water level of the plastic barriers specially this summer time,” MMDA Traffic Discipline Office (TDO) chief Cris Saruca told GMA News Online.

The MMDA, however, has a more permanent plan to avoid sudden gusts of wind

MMDA chief Atty. Emerson Carlos on Monday said that the plastic barriers lined up along EDSA are just temporary fixtures until Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) finishes setting up the concrete barriers.

“Temporary lang naman. Kung makikita mo sa [EDSA] Shaw, concrete barriers na. Sa DPWH iyan,” he told GMA News Online in a phone interview.

Carlos said that MMDA will put a concrete barrier for every 10 plastic segments to keep them in place.

“Iipitin. In between 10 barriers, may concrete barrier,” he said.

Asked why the MMDA was not using sand to keep the plastic barriers in place, the MMDA chief said using sand was riskier. He said it would make the road slippier especially for motorcycles.

MMDA’s move came after a viral video showed the plastic barriers on EDSA-Ortigas blocking the road after they were moved by a strong breeze on Sunday.

It’s not the first time that the plastic barriers were moved to block the avenue.

A bus hit and toppled down the barriers in February, blocking the side of the road for private vehicles.

—Trisha Macas/NB, GMA News