San Miguel Corporation (SMC) has announced that the 18-kilometer Skyway 3, which links the northern and southern portions of Metro Manila, will be partially opened on Dec. 29.
In a statement, SMC president and chief operating officer Ramon S. Ang said that motorists would be able to use up to four lanes of Skyway 3 during its partial opening and will also be toll-free for one month.
By January 14, Ang said that SMC will formally open all seven lanes of the entire 18-kilometer stretch from Buendia in Makati to NLEX.
“We are glad to finally welcome motorists, even on a limited capacity, starting December 29. While this is only a partial opening, given the scale and importance of this project, this is a very significant development. We have the government of President Rodrigo Duterte to thank, for paving the way for the continuous construction of Skyway 3 over the past few years. We believe it will be key to our economic recovery after the pandemic,” Ang said.
Ang said that the company would have soft opened the expressway sooner, but disruptions caused by recent typhoons meant more time needed to allow for the sufficient curing of concrete, and proper preparation for asphalting.
“We cannot rush the curing of concrete and preparation for asphalt, because these have to be given enough time and have to be done according to the highest specifications to ensure quality and safety,” he said.
Together with Skyway 1, 2, and Skyway extension which have a total of 20 kilometers, Skyway 3 extends the entire Skyway system to 38 kilometers. With the completion next year of the Skyway Extension project at the southern end (from Susanna Heights to Alabang), the entire Skyway will have 36 access points on both sides, from end-to-end.
It is seen to dramatically reduce travel time between Makati to NLEX to only 20 minutes, and Alabang and NLEX to only 30 minutes. It will also serve as an alternative to EDSA for those traveling between Metro Manila cities, reducing traffic on the country’s busiest thoroughfare.