San Miguel Corp., through SMC Infrastructure, on Monday announced the opening of the southbound Quirino exit of the Skyway Stage 3 elevated expressway to Class-1 vehicles.
“The opening of the Quirino southbound exit will greatly improve accessibility from Quezon City and Manila. With more private vehicles diverted to Skyway Stage 3 on their way back from NLEX, or coming from Quezon Ave., to Manila, traffic on our major public roads as well as on streets usually utilized as ‘short cuts’ or ‘alternate routes’, will be a thing of the past,” SMC president Ramon Ang said in a statement.
“This will redound to relief from congestion and faster and easier commutes for many of our countrymen on our major thoroughfares,” he said.
The opening allows Class 1 vehicles (cars, taxis, jeepneys, vans, SUVs, and pickups—below 7ft) coming from Balintawak and Quezon Ave. to directly reach Manila within less than 20 minutes from 1.5 hours without traffic.
SMC said it would continue to deliver on its commitment to bring motorists quality infrastructure that addresses congestion and lack of accessibility.
“We remain dedicated to providing convenient and seamless travel for motorists to help decongest Metro Manila and enable growth in all areas that we reach,” he said.
SMC, which fully-funded and built 100 percent of Skyway Stage 3, said the expressway now has 15 operational ramps.
These include northbound entry/on-ramps at Buendia (Zobel) and Quezon Ave.; southbound entry/on-ramps at Balintawak, Quezon Ave. and Plaza Dilao; northbound exit/off-ramps at Quirino Ave., Nagtahan, Quezon Ave., A. Bonifacio and Balintawak; and southbound exit/off-ramps at Quezon Ave., E. Rodriguez, Nagtahan, Quirino and Buendia (Zobel).
Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said the full completion of Skyway Stage 3 would divert at least 75,000 vehicles away from EDSA or C5.
“Skyway Stage 3 is proof that the private sector and the government can work together towards a unified solution,” Villar said.
The Skyway Stage 3, which was formally opened in January 2021, connects Buendia to Balintawak.
Together with Skyway 1 and 2, the Skyway system is a 38-kilometer elevated expressway with 36 on- and off-ramp access points that improves accessibility, transportation, and traffic conditions in Metro Manila.
