Skyway Stage 3 Quirino Ave. northbound off-ramp to close this week

Even if it is the most anticipated month of the year (on account of bonuses, vacations, and whatnot), December is also the most dreaded month where motorists are concerned. The rush to buy last-minute Christmas gifts or get home to the provinces typically produce monstrous traffic jams, especially in urban areas. 

Skyway management has announced that the Quirino Avenue northbound off-ramp will be closed at certain hours

But motorists, especially those who regularly use the Skyway Stage 3, are advised to brace for even worse traffic conditions. San Miguel Corporation (SMC), through its Skyway Operations and Maintenance Corporation (SOMCO), announced that the Quirino Avenue off-ramp on the tollway’s northbound portion will be partially closed to traffic before, during, and after Christmas Day. 

The off-ramp will be inaccessible to motorists in the wee hours of Thursday, December 23 to Tuesday, December 28, to accommodate a girder launching activity in the area. On these dates, travelers will be unable to use the Quirino Avenue northbound exit between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. SOMCO is asking affected motorists for their understanding over the temporary inconvenience, advising them to take alternate routes going to Buendia and Nagtahan at these hours. 

Motorists are advised to take alternate routes 

To its credit, Skyway management is exerting efforts to mitigate the potential effects of the closure by scheduling it at such early hours, when the number of vehicles using the Skyway Stage 3 is expected to be at its lowest. It also helps that the girder launch is staggered over six days, making it easier to avoid critical periods such as rush hour. Meanwhile, the Quirino Avenue exit on the southbound section of the tollway will continue to be operational for motorists throughout the holidays.   

The Skyway Stage 3 commenced full operations this year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, serving as one of the ways to alleviate traffic in Metro Manila by linking the South Luzon Expressway or SLEX (also managed by SMC) and the North Luzon Expressway or NLEX (operated by the NLEX Corporation). 

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