San Miguel opens Nagtahan exit ramps of Skyway 3

San Miguel Corp. (SMC) on Thursday opened the Nagtahan northbound and southbound exit ramps of the Skyway Stage 3.

In a statement,  SMC president Ramon Ang said that with the opening of the Nagtahan exit ramps, motorists can expect to further cut their travel time to Manila, even as traffic congestion at major thoroughfares commonly used to access Sta. Mesa and other nearby areas are seen to further ease.

“We are committed to fully delivering the remaining access ramps of Skyway 3 in the soonest possible time. With the Nagtahan exits, motorists coming from both SLEX and NLEX or other points of entry to the Skyway 3, can now opt to get to their destinations in Manila faster, without having to go through traffic, or contribute to traffic on major public roads and busy streets,” Ang said.

SMC, which fully-funded 100% of the Skyway Stage 3 project, including the acquisition of right-of-way properties and reconstruction of public bridges, to ensure no government funds or taxpayer money is spent on the project, officially opened the main alignment of the elevated expressway last January.

However, due to right-of-way issues, delivery of some access ramps had to come a little later.

“The concessionaire is taking advantage of the dry season to fast-track the completion of ramps as we want more motorists to reap the benefits of additional interchanges in between Buendia and NLEX,” said Public Works Secretary Mark Villar.

“The timely opening of all interchanges will also further reduce traffic along major NCR roads, most specifically Edsa, Quezon Avenue, Araneta Avenue, Nagtahan, and Quirino Avenue,” Villar added.

Ang said that northbound ramps that are next to be opened include the Quirino exit (heading to Roxas Blvd.), Quirino entry, Nagtahan entry, E. Rodriguez Entry, and Sgt. Rivera (C3) exit. Meanwhile, southbound access points to be opened soon are the A. Bonifacio entry, Sgt. Rivera (C3) exit, Sgt. Rivera (C3) entry, and Quirino exit.

With the opening of the Nagtahan exits, operational access ramps of Skyway 3 now include Northbound of Buendia (Zobel) entry, Quirino Avenue exit, Nagtahan exit, Quezon Avenue exit, Quezon Avenue entry, A. Bonifacio exit, and Balintawak exit; Southbound-Balintawak entry, Quezon Avenue exit, Quezon Avenue entry, E. Rodriguez exit, Nagtahan exit, Plaza Dilao entry, and Buendia (Zobel) exit.

Recently, SMC also opened the four-kilometer northbound section of the Skyway Extension project from Susana Heights to Sucat, allowing motorists from provinces south of Metro Manila to directly access the Skyway System without having to go through the Alabang viaduct.

“With the recent opening of the Skyway Extension project, motorists from Batangas, Laguna, Cavite now enjoy the convenience of seamless travel to many points in Metro Manila, all the way to NLEX. With work on the southbound section now at an accelerated pace, we are closer to fully realizing a seamless connection between southern and northern Luzon,” Ang said.

The 18-kilometer Skyway Stage 3 is seen to reduce travel time from Buendia to Balintawak in just 20 minutes, and Alabang to Balintawak to only about 30 minutes.

The Skyway Stage 3 and the Skyway Extension project are part of SMC’s 38-kilometer elevated Skyway System, which aims to reduce traffic congestion along major thoroughfares including EDSA and provide a seamless link from the South Luzon Expressway to the North Luzon Expressway.—AOL, GMA News