Metro Manila Skyway

This article is about the elevated highway that currently stretches from Alabang, Muntinlupa until Osmeña Highway in Makati. For the proposed elevated highway over the San Juan River, see Metro Manila Skybridge. For other uses, see Skyway (disambiguation).

Metro Manila Skyway
Route information
Length: 31.2 km (19.4 mi)
including Stage 2 and Stage 3 (under construction)
Component
highways:
Major junctions
North end: EDSA, Balintawak, Quezon City {Stage 3 North end}
South end: South Luzon Expressway and Bunye Road, Alabang, Muntinlupa
Location
Major cities:
Highway system
Highways in the Philippines
On the northbound lane of the Skyway.

The Metro Manila Skyway is a fully grade separated elevated highway and motorway serving as the main expressway in the southern parts of Metro Manila, crossing over much of the existing South Luzon Expressway (SLEX). It is located within the Metro Manila portion of the SLEX from Gil Puyat Avenue(C-3) to the Alabang-Zapote Road (AH-26) and crosses through the highly urbanized areas of North Luzon Expressway Quezon City, San Juan, Manila, Makati, Pasay, Parañaque, and Muntinlupa, relieving the South Luzon Expressway from heavy traffic.

The Skyway is the first fully grade-separated highway in the Philippines. It is still under improvement and maintenance though, for there are still several missing segments. It is one of the longest flyovers in the world with a total length of 31.2 kilometres (19.4 mi).

Route Description

The Skyway looking south towards the NAIA Interchange

The Skyway begins in Barangay San Isidro, Makati, near Gil Puyat Avenue. It rises above the Magallanes Interchange with EDSA and returns back to the original level. The first elevated segment ends with the NAIA Expressway interchange, where it descends into ground level, paralleling SLEX (South Luzon Expressway) and the PNR Metro South Commuter Line in the Pasay-Taguig boundary. Skyway returns back into an elevated expressway near C-5 Exit and Food Terminal Incorporated (FTI). It soon slightly curves on Bicutan, near its former terminus, and continuously runs above the South Luzon Expressway. On Sucat Exit, Skyway rises above the eastern terminus of Dr. A. Santos Avenue (Sucat Road) and descends before approaching the toll plaza on Cupang, Muntinlupa. An exit leads to the South Luzon Expressway and an entrance ramp carries traffic vice versa. Past the toll plaza and the exit to South Luzon Expressway, Skyway narrows into 1 lane per direction, and curves westward before ending near South Station in Alabang.

History

With the opening of the Skyway system, motorists are treated to a toll road network as traffic at the South Luzon Expressway considerably improved with the additional roadway capacity, rehabilitated roads, upgraded and newly constructed facilities.

On November 27, 1995, PT CITRA, an investor, entered into a Supplemental Toll Operation Agreement (STOA) with the Republic of the Philippines, through the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB), as grantor, and the Philippine National Construction Corporation (PNCC) as operator. The STOA was the result of negotiations among the parties which officially began on October 31, 1994 with the organization of the Technical Working Group composed of representatives from the Board of Investments (BOI), the Department of Finance (DOF), AIA Capital as financial adviser, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the TRB, the PNCC, and the PT CITRA Group.

Under the STOA, CMMTC was mandated to finance, design and construct stage 1 of the South Metro Manila Tollway Project, consisting of both an elevated expressway from Bicutan to Gil Puyat and integrating into it the upgrade and the rehabilitation of the at-grade portion of the South Metro Manila Tollway project, consisting of both an elevated expressway from Nichols to Alabang, are considered as an integrated system of the South Metro Manila Tollway : Stage 1. The STOA was duly approved by the former Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos on April 7, 1996.

In January 1997, TRB and CMMTC, together with the project contractor Hutama RSEA JO. Inc. independent consultants to the TRB Pertconsult International Philippines, consulting engineers Renardet S.A., Inter-Structure System, Inc., Design Science Incorporated, DMJM International USA, and design consultants Pacific Consultants International, in association with J.F. Cancio & Associates, completed a survey for rehabilitation works required on the at-grade portion of the SLEX from Nichols to Alabang. CMMTC has spent $32,746,652.19 in the Skyway Project Phase 1.

Construction began on August 24, 1995. Gil Puyat Avenue (Buendia), Makati, Magallanes Village, Skyway Toll Plazas A and B and Bicutan Exits were first to be completed on December 26, 1997. The Don Bosco Exit began its construction on November 17, 2001 and was completed on January 3, 2002. NAIA Terminal 3 Exit was in construction between September 5, 2004 and 2010.

On February 2007, the Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao together with the PNCC and the Philippine Government approved and signed the extended STOA.

At present, the Skyway System is now being operated by the Skyway Operations and Maintenance Corporation (SOMCo.), which replaced the PNCC Skyway Corporation in its tollway management and other related functions.

On April 2, 2009, Citra Metro Manila Tollways Corp. announced it will start construction on the second stage of the Skyway by the end of the week.[1] By June 2009 the construction of new pilars is going on.

On May 4, 2010, The Skyway Stage 2 is 50% done and Citra Metro Manila Tollways Corp. rotated highest pierhead in Sucat area.

On July 25, 2010, The Skyway Stage 2 is 65% done, DMCI has finished concreting 134 of the required 238 spans, and has started asphalt overlay.

On December 15, 2010, The Bicutan-Sucat portion of Stage 2 finally opened to the public. The Skyway reverted its toll rates back to its 2007 levels last December 22, 2010. By this time, motorists can use this portion for free.

On April 6, 2011, Hillsborough exit ramp, Alabang toll plaza, and South Station Exit were opened to the public. It is toll-free until April 25. And the existing toll plazas in Nichols had stopped collecting transactions instead, the toll plazas in Bicutan, Sucat and Alabang will collect fees. The temporary ramp in Bicutan from/going to SLEX was closed and was replaced by the new ramp in front of Hillsborough, which allows traffic to enter and exit the Skyway from the service roads.

Stage 2 will extend the existing 9.5-kilometer Gil Puyat (Buendia)-Bicutan elevated toll road by about 7 kilometres (4.3 miles), from Bicutan to Alabang. The construction area at the median section of the toll road in Bicutan will be initially extended to Sucat and fenced off with concrete barriers.

Stage 3 is a proposed 14-kilometer project extending from Gil Puyat (Buendia) to Balintawak Cloverleaf, connecting North Luzon Expressway to South Luzon Expressway via Osmena Highway, Quirino Avenue, Paco-Sta Mesa Road, Old Sta Mesa Road, N. Domingo Street, G. Araneta Avenue, Sgt. Rivera Avenue and A. Bonifacio Avenue.

On February 17, 2014, Citra Metro Manila Tollways Corp. announced that the construction of Skyway Stage 3 will start on Monday at Osmeña Highway and full blast in April 2014.

Skyway's new toll rates were implemented on April 26, 2011. Since 2011, the Metro Manila Skyway was used as a main running course of the Condura Skyway Marathon.[2]

Skyway's operator and functions

The rehabilitated at-grade portion of the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) from Nichols to Alabang and the elevated Expressway from Buendia to Bicutan is now being called the Metro Manila Skyway System. It is operated by the Skyway Operations and Maintenance Corporation (SOMCo), a company of the existing PNCC – concession holder, Citra Metro Manila Tollways Corporation. SOMCo took over the operations and maintenance of the Skyway from the former operator, PNCC Skyway Corporation, effective January 2008 and was established in compliance to the provision stipulated in the July 2007 Amended Supplemental Toll Operators Agreement (A-STOA) between the PNCC, Citra Metro Manila Tollways Corp. and the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB), which gave the management of the 35-kilometer toll road to Citra.

Starting 2008, SOMCo is in charge of the three major operational functions, mainly: the traffic safety and security, the maintenance of facilities, and the toll collection.

Metro Manila Skyway projects and maintenance

South Metro Manila Skyway project stages

The Skyway at the Amorsolo on-ramp looking south towards Magallanes

South Metro Manila Skyway is composed of three stages, which comprise the Metro Manila Skyway project.

Stage 1

Stage 1 involves the rehabilitation of the Magallanes-Alabang at-grade portion and the construction of a 6-lane, 10-kilometer elevated expressway from Gil Puyat (Buendia) to Bicutan. Stage 1 started on April 7, 1995 and was completed and opened in October 1999.

Stage 2

Stage 2 involves the construction of a 7-kilometer elevated expressway from Bicutan to Alabang's South Station, which began in the 2nd quarter of 2009 and was completed in April 2011. The Bicutan to Sucat segment opened on December 15, 2010, while the new Alabang toll plaza, and the Hillsborough and Alabang South Station exit ramps opened on April 6, 2011.

Stage 3

Due to heavy traffic in Metro Manila, the government proposed to build Skyway Stage 3, passing through some cities in the metropolis, with a length of 14.8 km. This will connect the North and South Luzon Expressways. Construction started on February 17, 2014, and it is expected to be completed by April 2018.[3][4]

Technical specifications

Exits

Current Exits/Entrance

Kilometer No. Exit Location Notes
6 Buendia (Gil Puyat) Exit Ramp Makati This is an Exit ramp from/going to Osmeña Highway (SLEx) and to Gil Puyat Avenue (Buendia). This is the current northern terminus.
7 Amorsolo Exit (Makati Exit) This exit leads to a 4-lane spur road that curves left and descends to merge onto Amorsolo Street in the business village of Legaspi. Accessible only for northbound motorists.
7 Don Bosco Exit This exit on the northbound Skyway provides access to the Don Bosco Street intersection on the main SLEX.
9 Magallanes Exit This ramp is an access to the Skyway for southbound and to the SLEx for the Northbound.
9 NAIA Terminal 3 Exit Pasay This exit leads to an elevated expressway called NAIA Expressway leading to the NAIA 3 terminal on Andrews Avenue, it can be accessed from both Northbound and Southbound lanes of the Skyway.
14 Doña Soledad Exit(Bicutan Exit) Parañaque This is an exit(elevated and at grade) leading to Doña Soledad Avenue in Don Bosco and Marcelo Green, Parañaque City. This is the former southern terminus of the Skyway before extending it to Muntinlupa. the at grade exit also leads to Lower Bicutan, Taguig.
18 Dr. A. Santos Exit (Sucat Exit) This is an exit leading to Dr. Santos Avenue, or Sucat Road.
19 Skyway Alabang Main Toll Plaza A Muntinlupa This replaced the former Skyway toll plaza in Nichols, Pasay.
19 Skyway Alabang Main Toll Plaza B This is the second toll plaza.
20 Hillsborough Exit/Entry Ramp This replaced the San Martin de Porres Temporary Exit Ramp. This serves as the entry and exit point for motorists on the service roads.
22 Alabang South Station Exit/Entry Ramp This is an Entry/Exit Ramp to the Alabang South Station in Alabang, Muntinlupa. It also leads motorists to the Alabang-Zapote Road. This is the current southern terminus.
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Future expansion

Skyway Stage 3 will extend the Skyway northwards and link the missing segment from Gil Puyat (Buendia) to Mindanao Avenue and Balintawak. It will be connected to North Luzon Expressway. This stage is currently under finalization. Currently, the government has reportedly accepted two proposals one from Metro Pacific Tollways Development Corp. (MPTDC which is a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC), that runs NLEX and SCTEX, to build the 13.24-kilometer road which mostly of its right-of-way is via the Street of the C-2 Road & Juan Luna connecting Skyway from NLEX via Mindanao Avenue. And the other is from Citra Metro Manila Tollways Corporation (CMMTC), which runs the Skyway and STAR Tollway, to build their version from Skyway Buendia to NLEx Balintawak which will run through several major thoroughfares along Metro Manila namely Quirino Avenue, Lacson Avenue, Magsaysay Boulevard, G. Araneta/Sgt. Rivera Avenue, and A. Bonifacio Avenue.

Stage 3

CMMTC Proposal

Dubbed as the "Skyway Stage 3", the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) had received an unsolicited proposal for the construction of the elevated toll road Skyway’s extension from San Miguel Corp. backed Citra Metro Manila Tollways Corp. (CMMTC) which according to their proposal will run from Bicutan, Taguig to Balintawak, Quezon City.

The DPWH plans to include the project in its PPP thrust and plans to subject the proposal to a Swiss Challenge, Public Works Undersecretary Romeo S. Momo said in a telephone interview on Friday. A Swiss challenge requires a government agency which has received an unsolicited bid for a project to publish the bid and invite third parties to match or exceed it.

MPTDC Proposal

Meanwhile, a year before the CMMTC proposal was unveiled NLEX concessionaire subsidiary Metro Pacific Tollway Development Corporation (MPTDC) through its Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC) submitted their proposal which is dubbed as "Segment 11 or the NLEx-SLEx Connector Road" in the NLEx Phase 2 project which involves the construction of a 13.24 kilometer Elevated Expressway from Buendia (Skyway Stage 1) to the C-3 Road which will connect to the NLEx via Segment 10 of the NLEx Phase 2 project in which most of the elevated roadway will be located above the C-2 Road Right-Of-Way.

According to DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson the MPIC Proposal would likely be pushed through along with the CMMTC proposal as the proposals can co-exist as the projects service two different corridors of the metro.[5]

Future Exits/Entrance

Kilometer No. Exit Location Remarks
TBA Balintawak Exit/Entry Ramp Quezon City This will be an Entry/Exit Ramp at EDSA in Balintawak, Quezon City.
TBA C-3 Road Sgt. Emilio Rivera Exit/Entry Ramp This will be an Entry/Exit Ramp at Sgt. Rivera Avenue in Santa Mesa Heights, Quezon City.
TBA Skyway G. Araneta Toll Plaza A This will be the second toll plaza of Stage 3 on the upper deck of the expressway. This is located in the southbound.
TBA Skyway G. Araneta Toll Plaza B This will be the second toll plaza on the lower deck of the expressway.
TBA R-7 Quezon Avenue Exit/Entry Ramp This will be an Entry/Exit Ramp at Pres. Quezon Avenue in San Francisco Del Monte, Quezon City.
TBA E. Rodriguez Sr. Boulevard Exit/Entry Ramp This will be an Entry/Exit Ramp at E. Rodriguez Sr. Boulevard in New Manila, Quezon City.
TBA R-6 Aurora Boulevard Exit/Entry Ramp Manila This will be an Entry/Exit Ramp at Aurora Boulevard in Santa Mesa, Santol, Dona Imelda, Quezon City, San Juan, Metro Manila, Manila.
TBA NLEX-SLEX Metro Link Expressway Interchange This will be an interchange of the NLEX-SLEX Connector of MPTDC in Santa Mesa, Manila
TBA Plaza Dilao Exit/Entry Ramp This will be an Entry/Exit Ramp at Plaza Dilao in Paco, Manila.
TBA C-2 Road Quirino Avenue Exit/Entry Ramp This will be an Entry/Exit Ramp at Quirino Avenue in Paco, Manila.
TBA Skyway Buendia Toll Plaza A Makati This will be the first toll plaza in Stage 3. This is located in the southbound.
TBA Skyway Buendia Toll Plaza B This will be the second toll plaza in Stage 3.
TBA C-3 Road Buendia Avenue Entry Ramp This will be an Entry Ramp from Osmeña Highway in Makati City.
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
  •       Unopened

Former Exits/Entrance

Kilometer No. Exit Location Remarks
10 Skyway Nichols Toll Plaza A Pasay The former Main Toll Plaza for cash and E-Pass Users, it is situated at both lanes.
10 Skyway Nichols Toll Plaza B The former Main Toll Plaza for E-Pass Users only situated on the Northbound lane.
15 San Martin de Porres Temporary Exit Ramp Parañaque This was the temporary ramp leading down to SLEx before the construction of Skyway Stage 2. It was then removed when the permanent ramp in Hillsborough was opened to the public.

Toll Fees (VAT-inclusive)

Class Amount (current as of October 17, 2011)
Class 1
(Cars, Motorcycles, SUVs)		 ₱164
Class 2
(Buses, Light Trucks)		 ₱329
Class 3
(Heavy Trucks)		 ₱493

See also

References

  1. ↑ Skyway Stage 2 Start Construction
  2. ↑ "Condura Run: Through The Years". Condura. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  3. ↑ "METRO MANILA SKYWAY STAGE 3 (MMSS-3) As of March 25, 2015". March 25, 2015. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  4. ↑ "NAIA Expressway, Skyway 3, LRT 2 to be delayed; traffic to worsen–MMDA". September 14, 2015. Retrieved November 2, 2015.
  5. ↑ Skyway Stage 3/ NLEx-SLEx Connector Road Projects being finalized

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Metro Manila Skyway.

Coordinates: 14°30′23″N 121°2′7″E / 14.50639°N 121.03528°E / 14.50639; 121.03528

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