Skyway Stage 3 project (Photo courtesy of SMC)
MANILA – San Miguel Corporation (SMC), through SMC Infrastructure, opened Monday the southbound Quirino exit of the Skyway Stage 3 elevated expressway to Class-1 vehicles, allowing motorists coming from Balintawak and Quezon Avenue to directly reach Manila within less than 20 minutes from 1.5 hours without traffic.
The opening was led by Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar and SMC president Ramon S. Ang.
“The full completion of Skyway Stage 3 will divert at least 75,000 vehicles away from EDSA or C5. This is a realization of President Duterte’s promise to decongest EDSA. Skyway Stage 3 is proof that the private sector and the government can work together towards a unified solution,” Villar said.
Ang said 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 (North Luzon Expressway), or coming from Quezon Avenue, to Manila, traffic on our major public roads as well as on streets usually utilized as ‘shortcuts’ or ‘alternate routes’, will be a thing of the past. This will redound to relief from congestion and faster and easier commutes for many of our countrymen on our major thoroughfares. We thank President Duterte and the government team led by Secretary Villar for all their support,” he said.
And said SMC will 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 added.
SMC, which fully-funded and built 100 percent of the Skyway Stage 3, said the expressway now has 15 operational ramps.
These include Northbound entry/on-ramps -- Buendia (Zobel) and Quezon Avenue; Southbound entry/on ramps --Balintawak, Quezon Avenue and Plaza Dilao; Northbound exit/off ramps --Quirino Avenue, Nagtahan, Quezon Avenue, A. Bonifacio, and Balintawak; and Southbound exit/off ramps --Quezon Avenue, E. Rodriguez, Nagtahan, Quirino and Buendia (Zobel).
The Skyway Stage 3, formally opened in January 2021, connects Buendia to Balintawak, and vice versa.
Together with Skyway 1 and 2, the Skyway system is a 38-kilometer elevated expressway with 36 on and off ramp access points that greatly improves accessibility, transportation, and traffic conditions throughout Metro Manila. (PR)
