(UPDATE) THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will start the long-delayed rehabilitation of Epifanio delos Santos Avenue or EDSA before the end of the year, as it aims to complete the work on the entire 23.8-kilometer stretch within eight months. Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said on Wednesday that rehabilitation works will start on Christmas Eve or Dec. 24 instead of early 2026 to take advantage of the long Christmas break when people will be on vacation, and there are fewer vehicles on EDSA. “With less disruption, more work can be done and at least cost to the government,” said Dizon. Under the revised work plan, Dizon said the rehabilitation of EDSA will be implemented in two phases of four months each, starting at Roxas Boulevard to EDSA-Orense. The second phase will cover the rest of EDSA. The 23.8-kilometer EDSA stretch is the longest and most congested highway in Metro Manila. It passes through six cities — Caloocan, Quezon, San Juan, Mandaluyong, Makati and Pasay. Dizon said the cost of rehabilitating EDSA would be P6 billion, down from the original estimate of P17 billion. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the DPWH and the Department of Transportation to make EDSA accessible and walkable, especially for vulnerable sectors such as persons with disabilities (PWDs), senior citizens and pregnant women. The rehabilitation will expand pedestrian lanes, create shared bike lanes, and repair stops, as well as waiting sheds. Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Romando Artes said on Wednesday that they aim to keep traffic moving while work is ongoing. Artes said only limited portions of EDSA will close at a time, and repaired sections will be reopened early morning the next day. Traffic management plans and public advisories will be issued. With James Daniel Danio