The Skyway Stage 3 project is nearing completion and is expected to open before the end of the year.
“Tapos na iyong main line. Gagawin na lang iyong finishing, mga safety devices, ipapa-aspalto na lang. Significantly complete na (The main line is done. We just have to do the finishing, adding safety devices and asphalt. It is significantly complete),” Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Sec. Mark Villar shared in the Laging Handa briefing on Thursday.
The 18-kilometer elevated expressway has been finished ahead of its target completion date by the end of October. The travel time from NLEX to SLEX will be shortened to 30 minutes from the previous 2-hour period once it is opened.
President Rodrigo Duterte is set to inaugurate the project in November, the DPWH confirmed.
“Gusto talaga niyang tapusin ang traffic sa EDSA. This is a major part of that dahil ‘pag natapos po ito, halos 50,000 cars a day ang mawawala sa EDSA (He [PRRD] really wants to solve the EDSA traffic. This is a major part of that because almost 50,000 cars a day will get off EDSA),” Villar stated.
The DPWH said EDSA is now 90 years old and its design may no longer be fit to meet the current capacity of 408,000 vehicles per day.
The Skyway Stage 3 will eventually be connected to the newly built NLEX Harbor Link in 2022 to further decongest major throughfares in Mega Manila. – Report from Karen Villanda
