After opening the Skyway Extension’s northbound section on Sunday, San Miguel Corporation (SMC) said that it would fast-track the construction of the southbound section in order to complete the project by the third quarter of 2021.
“It’s only been a number of days since we opened the northbound section, free to the public until further notice, and already we have seen a huge improvement in traffic flow, particularly on SLEX and the Alabang viaduct. That makes us even more determined to complete construction of the southbound section, so this project can fully serve motorists and improve traffic and connectivity to and from the south,” SMC president and chief operating officer Ramon S. Ang said.
He added that the soft-opening of the first two lanes of the northbound Skyway Extension from Susana Heights to Sucat, Parañaque proved to be timely, as it coincided with the easing of quarantine restrictions.
“We’re already seeing how convenient and much faster travel is now, and it will become even more evident when traffic volume picks up and starts to normalize. That is why we’d again like to ask for our motorists’ cooperation and understanding as we move towards completion of the southbound Skyway Extension,” Ang said.
As part of the next phase of construction, Ang said that the Hillsborough off-ramp of the elevated southbound Skyway will be closed to traffic permanently beginning April 19 at 6:00 a.m.
With the scheduled closure, SMC said that those who are coming from the elevated Skyway will now exit at the steel ramp in Alabang. SMC also said that motorists should expect heavy traffic in the area
“Unfortunately, there is no way around it, we need to close this portion to secure the staging ground for equipment and workers and to accelerate construction and ensure the safety of our motorists,” he said.
“I appeal to our motorists again for their patience and understanding. We expect heavy traffic to persist for the duration of the construction, but rest assured we will do everything we can to help mitigate this, and complete the project within the timetable,” Ang added.
SMC Infrastructure also advised motorists to take the following alternate routes:
Class 1 vehicles from Pasay, Makati, Manila, and Quezon City bound for SLEX and farther South
• From Skyway Elevated, keep left to Steel Ramp towards destination.
Class 1 vehicles from Pasay, Makati, Manila, and Quezon City bound for Alabang
• From Skyway – Elevated, keep right to Alabang-Zapote off-ramp.
Meanwhile, Ang reiterated that the northbound section of Skyway Extension will remain toll-free until further notice.