MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Friday said it will conduct a week-long dry run of its motorcycle lane drive along Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) prior to its full implementation.

MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino said a one week dry-run will be observed starting February 14. Violators will not be issued traffic violation tickets but will be required to undergo a 15-minute road safety seminar at designated areas such as Roxas Boulevard, Orense, White Plains, Timog, and Quezon Avenue.

Heart-shaped stickers bearing the MMDA logo and the phrases “Certified Motorcycle Riders” and “Disiplinado Ako” will be given to apprehended riders who complete the seminar.

The designated motorcycle lane shall be the fourth lane from the right sidewalk and shall run the length of EDSA from Monumento, Caloocan City to SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City and vice versa.

The lanes are “non-exclusive,” which means that private vehicles may also use them. “I am appealing to the private motorists using the motorcycle lanes to observe maximum tolerance for motorcycle riders to avoid any accident,” Tolentino said.

The establishment of EDSA motorcycle lanes is based on Memorandum Circular 12-01 Series of 2012 approved by the Metro Manila Council last month.

Tolentino said the implementation of the motorcycle lanes is necessary to promote a more orderly flow of traffic along the major thoroughfares and reduce the number of fatal accidents involving motorcycles.

Records showed that there was a marked 72 increase in the motorcycle-related incidents along EDSA that resulted in damage to property and physical injuries from 2009 to 2011.

Also, the number of motorcycle traversing EDSA has steadily increased. For 2011, 6,559 were observed to ply the northbound lane and 5,173 along the southbound lane daily, representing a 19 percent increase from 2010.

Motorcycle riders may deviate from the motorcycle lanes when making a turn or U-turn at authorized intersections and U-turn slots, in which case they are to gradually shift lanes not less than 200 meters away from the turning point, while making the appropriate signals.