The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is eyeing to complete the construction of the Skyway Stage 3 by December.
“Halos malapit na matapos ‘yung project. Bahagi po ito ng EDSA decongestion program ng ating pangulo at target po namin ay December… by Christmas tapos na po itong Skyway,” Public Works and Highways Sec. Mark Villar said.
The portion of the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 that collapsed during a fire in February has already been replaced, according to Villar.
“As of latest report, lower and upper coping beams for pier 3, 4, 5 were reconstructed, and deck slab for spans 5 and 6 were completed as well. These were the burned sections from the fire incident,” Villar said.
Villar said that the status of the ongoing construction of Skyway Stage 3 is at 88.72 percent, excluding the Section 2A’ or the Tomas Claudio-PUP Sta. Mesa segment which has yet to begin civil works.
When completed, the 18.83-kilometer Skyway Stage 3 is expected to reduce travel time between Buendia and Balintawak from the current two hours to only 15 to 20 minutes, accommodating an average of 55,000 vehicles daily.
“We are intensifying our road right-of-way acquisition so we may soon begin construction at Section 2A’. So far, we have acquired 231 out of the 350 lots that need to be acquired with permit to enter,” Villar added.
Separately, its Section 1 covering Buendia-Quirino-Nagtahan is 90.67 percent completed; Section 2A covering Nagtahan-Tomas Claudio is 77.23 percent; Section 2B or Tomas Claudio-Ramon Magsaysay Avenue is 94.39 percent; Section 3 or Ramon Magsaysay-Quezon Avenue is 96.86 percent; Section 4 or Quezon Avenue-Balintawak, Quezon City is 75.67 percent; and Section 5 or Balintawak to NLEX Footbridge is 83.56 percent completed.