FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) bared Friday a traffic re-routing plan for the whole year to make way for the construction of the Skyway Stage 3, which will start Feb. 9 until December 2019.
The Skyway Stage 3 road project of San Miguel Corporation-led Citra Central Expressway Corporation (CCEC) aims to connect South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) and North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) from Buendia Makati City to Bagong Barrio, Caloocan City crossing the EDSA Balintawak Cloverleaf.
MMDA said the Skyway road project is expected to be completed by December 2019.
The CCEC said the construction works would be undertaken on a kilometer stretch of NLEX Balintawak, which will affect traffic in Balintawak Cloverleaf, Camachile, and Bagong Barrio, including the east and west service roads.
With this, MMDA, NLEX and CCEC management issued the following traffic re-routing schemes, which will be implemented from 11 p.m. of Feb. 9 until December 2019:
Vehicles coming from NLEX going to Quezon City may use Smart Connect Interchange heading to Mindanao Avenue, turn right going to Quezon City to the destination.
Meanwhile, private cars, vans, public utility jeepneys (PUJs) from Quirino Highway bound for EDSA via Camachile may take Camachile Flyover, turn right to West Service Road, then turn right at EDSA.
For PUJs, they must take a U-turn at Biglang Awa, turn right at Cloverleaf to A. Bonifacio to Blumentritt or take the southeast loop to return to Novaliches.
As trucks are banned from Camachile flyover, they are advised to take Mindanao Avenue then turn left at NLEX Mindanao entry going to Smart Connect Interchange towards NLEX southbound.
The same traffic scheme goes for trucks coming from Congressional to A. Bonifacio/Port Area.
For private cars and vans coming from EDSA Muñoz to Port Area, they must head to Monumento crossing Balintawak Cloverleaf, turn left at De Jesus Street, head straight to C3 then at the C3 intersection, turn right to Port Area.
Aside from closing some lanes at NLEX Balintawak, the ramp from EDSA northbound to A. Bonifacio will also be closed due to the construction.
NLEX management said private vehicles coming from NLEX going Balintawak southbound may choose their preferred routes while PUJs and UV Express units will follow their specific routes and buses will follow their designated franchise routes.
MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia assured that despite closure on some lanes in NLEX, they will minimize traffic congestion by the issuance of the alternate routes.
“Everytime na may isasarang kalsada, obstruction yan. It will create traffic. The good thing is, ‘pag may ganyang nagsasarang kalsada, nagkakaroon ng traffic management. That is why inaannounce natin ‘to pinaluluwag natin alternate routes para hindi masyadong maapektuhan,” Garcia said in a press conference at the MMDA Building in Guadalupe, Makati. /jpv
RELATED STORY
Sevilla Bridge closed on Saturday night due to Skyway Stage 3 construction