Traffic Impact Assessment of the Proposed GRASS Katipunan

2. STUDY AREA

2.1 Location

The proposed GRASS Katipunan is located on property owned by the Metropolitan

Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS). The property is along Katipunan Avenue
(Circumferential Road 5 or C-5) corner Ventura Street. The location is shown in the
Figure 2.1.

Proposed
GRASS

(Basemap: Google Earth)

Figure 2.1 Location of GRASS Katipunan

Note in the preceding figure the location of the MWSS Administration Building, and
several units of the University of the Philippines Diliman. The proposed mall will be in
an area where there are only small commercial establishments mostly eateries and small
stores located in across from Ventura Street. Most major commercial establishments are
located elsewhere along Katipunan, particularly along the stretch in front of Miriam
College and the Ateneo De Manila University.

2.2 Accessibility

The proposed site of GRASS Katipunan is mainly accessible to both private and public
transport users mainly via Katipunan Avenue, although it is expected that some trips
will be via Ventura Street which leads to an alternate route to Marikina City via
Tumana. Trips generated by the proposed development are generally local considering
that there are larger malls at North EDSA, Fairview, Marikina and Ortigas. Note also
that there are plans to have a GRASS Mall along Commonwealth.

Most person trips will be using jeepneys or private vehicles as currently there are no bus
services along Katipunan Avenue. There will be tricycles from the Balara area but these
may be minimized in the future considering C-5 is planned as a high speed road and
tricycles are generally banned from national roads and are currently only tolerated.

At present, there are informal public transport terminals in the area including the
vicinity of where the proposed development will be constructed. Jeepneys with the UP-
Katipunan route (Aurora Boulevard to Balara via Katipunan Avenue) currently have an

Final Report 2-1

Traffic Impact Assessment of the Proposed GRASS Katipunan

informal terminal at the media just across the property where the proposed mall will be
constructed. Jeepneys waiting their turns for loading commonly park along the road in
front of the property as well as along the curbside lane of the southbound side of
Katipunan. Jeepneys with the Tandang Sora route have their informal terminal just
across from UP’s Magsaysay gate near the MWSS gate.

2.3 Impact Area

The Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) recommends that a minimum study area
for traffic impact assessment should include all critical site access points as well as
signalized and unsignalized intersections adjacent to the site. For the proposed
development, the minimum study area is defined as that bound by the main access roads
to the project. These include Katipunan Avenue, Ventura Street in the Balara area, C.P.
Garcia Street, and Magsaysay and Shuster Streets in UP Diliman.

The immediate impact area for the proposed GRASS Katipunan was shown in Figure
2.1 and includes several 3-leg intersections. There is only one signalized intersection,
Katipunan-C.P. Garcia, but it is a major intersection based on the volume of vehicles
and the classification of both as truck routes.

An expanded impact area showing developments within a 2-kilometer radius of the

proposed GRASS is shown in Figure 2.2.

Proposed GRASS
Commonwealth

Proposed
GRASS Mall

(Basemap: Google Earth)

Figure 2.2 Impact area for GRASS Katipunan considering 2-kilometer radius

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Traffic Impact Assessment of the Proposed GRASS Katipunan

The area in Figure 2.2 shows another proposed GRASS development located along
Commonwealth Avenue as well as residential areas like subdivisions in the Quezon
City and Marikina City areas (e.g., Teachers Village, Loyola Grand Villas, Balara, etc.).
Meanwhile, a 5-kilometer impact area of the proposed GRASS is shown in Figure 2.3.

Proposed GRASS
Commonwealth

Proposed
GRASS
Katipunan

Masinag
SumulongMarket
Highway
(Basemap: Google Earth)

Figure 2.3 Expanded impact area of GRASS Katipunan showing other major
commercial developments

The 5-km area shows relevant developments including several existing malls like SM
City North EDSA, SM City Marikina, Trinoma and Robinsons Metro East. Notably
within the 5-km radius is the Araneta Center in Cubao.

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