San Miguel Corporation (SMC) announced that all seven lanes of the 18-kilometer Skyway Stage 3 linking the South Luzon Expressway and North Luzon Expressway will be fully opened on January 15.
In a statement released on Wednesday, SMC said that in preparation for the opening ceremony of the elevated expressway on Thursday, the Skyway 3 will be closed to vehicular traffic starting at 10:00 p.m. on January 13 until January 14.
“A full inspection, set-up and staging of the opening, and other pre-opening preparation activities are scheduled,” the company said.
The entire expressway will be opened to regular vehicular traffic starting 5 a.m. on January 15.
“We ask for the kind understanding of motorists, as we prepare to officially open Skyway 3. Following the opening, motorists will be able to experience the benefits of all seven lanes and all the features of this game-changing expressway that will reduce travel time from SLEX to NLEX and vice-versa, to only 30 minutes. It will also help decongest traffic on Edsa and many parts of Metro Manila,” Skyway management said.
Meanwhile, SMC president and COO Ramon S. Ang said that the elevated expressway will remain toll-free until February 1.
“All access points and seven lanes on select areas will be available to motorists starting January 15 still for free—extended until February 1—so that our motorists can experience and enjoy seamless driving along this engineering marvel over Metro Manila’s congested streets. Proudly built by Filipinos for Filipinos. Sama-sama. Babangon tayo,” Ang said.
The Skyway 3 is seen to reduce travel time between Makati and northern Manila to only 20 minutes and Alabang and NLEX to 30 minutes. Apart from that, the elevated expressway will also serve as an alternative route to EDSA for those traveling between Metro Manila cities, reducing traffic on the country’s busiest thoroughfare.