Traffic was manageable during the traffic dry run for the second phase of the Skyway Stage 3 project in Makati City over the weekend but the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) warned of congestion once construction goes into full swing two to three weeks from now.
During the agency’s weekly radio program, MMDA Chair Francis Tolentino said that traffic flow was not affected when the Buendia off-ramp was closed on Saturday and Sunday. The closure will last until Sunday midnight.
“The city government of Makati has already released a rerouting plan for the project,” he added, noting that the public should take note of the affected streets to avoid being caught in heavy traffic.
The proponent of the project, Citra Central Expressway Corp. (CECC), conducted the three-day traffic dry run on the 225-meter stretch of Osmeña Highway between the Skyway Buendia off-ramp and De la Rosa Street, closing the off-ramp to vehicles.
Light vehicles from the Skyway going to Manila were asked to exit either at Magallanes, Don Bosco or Amorsolo while buses were instructed to use only the Magallanes and Don Bosco exits.
CECC traffic management head Eli de la Cruz told the Inquirer in a phone interview that they had the dry run together with the MMDA and Makati traffic units “to assess the traffic behavior in affected areas and test the efficiency of the alternate routes that have been drawn up.”
“Traffic was manageable during the dry run and we hope that this will prepare us for the weeklong closure of the Buendia off-ramp two to three weeks from now,” De la Cruz added.
He explained that they would be putting up three posts near the ramp for that week, adding that signs leading to alternate routes had already been posted on Skyway.
The Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 Project is a 14.82-kilometer elevated expressway from Buendia to Balintawak which targets to decongest Edsa and ease traffic on other major roads like Quezon Avenue and Araneta Avenue.