The Public Works Department said it opened a new exit ramp of Skyway Stage 3 in Makati City about a kilometer north of Gil Puyat Ave. to help ease the traffic along Osmeña Highway.
Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said vehicles using the three-lane, northbound direction of Skyway Stage 3 could now exit through a temporary ramp constructed near Java Street, instead of Gil Puyat (Buendia) as an off-ramp. The new exit is a kilometer further north of Osmeña Highway.
“The section, which spans 1-kilometer, will be temporarily opened until full completion of Phase 1, which ends in President Quirino Ave. in Manila,” Villar said.
Villar said the temporary off-ramp near Java Street was currently one lane passable but would be later expanded into two lanes, and eventually four lanes, when the on-ramp or the entrance to the southbound direction of Skyway would be opened to the public.
The Skyway Stage 3 is a six-lane, elevated expressway that would span 17.54 kilometers over Metro Manila from Gil Puyat in Makati City to Balintawak, Quezon City. This would connect South Luzon Expressway and North Luzon Expressway.
The project is divided into five sections, including the 3.76-km Section 1 from Gil Puyat to Quirino Ave.; 0.96-km Section 2A from Quirino Ave. to Tomas Claudio St., Manila; 3.93-km Section 2B from Tomas Claudio St. to Aurora Boulevard, Manila; 2.71-km Section 3 from Aurora Blvd. to Quezon Ave., Quezon City; 4.46-km Section 4 from Quezon Ave. to A. Bonifacio Ave., Quezon City; and 1.56-km Section 5 from A. Bonifacio to NLEx.
Concessionaire and builder San Miguel Corp. through unit Citra Central Expressway Corp. so far completed a 1-km viaduct and a total of 2.7-kilometer deck slab of Skyway Stage 3 Section 1.
San Miguel is investing P26.7 billion in Skyway Stage 3 which is expected to be completed by 2020.
Upon completion, Skyway Stage 3 will ease traffic through the eight access ramps/interchanges strategically located at Gil Puyat, Quirino Ave., Plaza Dilao (Paco, Manila), Nagtahan/Aurora Blvd., E. Rodriguez Ave., (Quezon City), Quezon Ave., Sgt. Rivera St. (Quezon City) and NLEx.