Skyway Stage 3: Everything you need to know

No one can argue that San Miguel Corporation (SMC)’s Skyway Stage 3 is one of the most important infrastructures that has been established in Philippine history. It provides a route for motorists that are traveling between the Northern and Southern parts of Metro Manila.

Skyway Stage 3

SMC formally opens the Skyway Stage 3 on January 14, 2021, despite the project not being 100-percent complete. This makes the said expressway a relatively new roadway that more motorists should know of considering its wide road network and how it can impact the daily commutes of Filipinos.

With that being said, here is everything you need to know about the new Skyway Stage 3.

I. Background

With an original project cost of P37.43-billion, the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 Project (MMSS3) started its construction in early 2014. It is an elevated expressway that connects Buendia, Makati City to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) in Balintawak, Quezon City.

The road project aims to connect the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) and NLEX. In doing so, the project will be able to decongest traffic in areas including C4 (EDSA), C5 (CP Garcia), and Central Metro Manila. A total of 55,000 vehicles are expected to use the Skyway Stage 3 upon the end of construction.

It ultimately connects SLEX and NLEX

With that in mind, the travel time between Buendia and Balintawak will be reduced to just 15 to 20 minutes. This is a huge improvement in Metro Manila traffic considering the usual travel time between the said areas is around two hours, which can even increase when traveling during rush hours.

As part of SMC's infrastructure projects. the Skyway Stage 3 uses Autosweep RFID within its road network. It joins other Autosweep expressways such as SLEX, NAIA Expressway (NAIAX), Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway (MCX), Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR Tollway), and Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX).

Skyway Stage 3 uses Autosweep RFID

The Skyway Stage 3 is expected to be fully completed by December 2022. As of this writing, it is accommodating motorists with its five sections with a total length of 18.83 kilometers.

II. Sections

• Section 1: Buendia, Makati – Quirino Avenue – Nagtahan (3.76 km)
• Section 2: Nagtahan – Aurora Blvd./Ramon Magsaysay Avenue (6.01 km)
  • Section 2A: Nagtahan – Tomas Claudio (0.96 km)
  • Section 2A’: Tomas Claudio – PUP Sta. Mesa (1.30 km)
  • Section 2B: Tomas Claudio – Ramon Magsaysay Avenue (San Juan River) (3.93 km)
• Section 3: Ramon Magsaysay – Quezon Avenue (2.71 km)
• Section 4: Quezon Avenue – Balintawak, Quezon Avenue (4.46 km)
• Section 5: Balintawak, Quezon City – NLEX Footbridge (1.89 km)

III. Toll fees

Class 1

• Vehicles with two axles and up to seven feet in height (cars, jeepneys, vans, AUV, SUV)

Class 2

• Vehicles with two axles and more than seven feet in height (passenger bus, delivery vans)
• Vehicles with three or more axles and less than seven feet in height (delivery vans, small trucks, Class 1 vehicle with a trailer)

Class 3

• Vehicles with three or more axles and more than seven feet in height (container/trailer trucks, cement mixers, and other large trucks)

IV. Speed limit

There has been a long debate among motorists as to what should be the appropriate speed limit on Skyway Stage 3. SMC puts an end to that by saying that it has imposed a 60 km/h speed limit. 

Many motorists did not receive the speed limit well, saying that it is too slow for an expressway. Some even started to argue that slower cars on an expressway will only cause more incidents as compared to increasing the limit to around 80 to 100 km/h.

One of the most important infrastructures in the country

Well, there is a good and sensible reason for SMC’s decision to keep the speed limit at 60 km/h. Unlike most expressways, the Skyway Stage 3 is not constructed with permanent lane dividers. The reason for this is to allow a variable direction lane traffic scheme.

A variable direction lane traffic scheme is used to move lanes in consideration of the traffic situation. With this, northbound and southbound travelers will both benefit from the said scheme as the estimated travel time within the expressway should be reduced.

The Skyway Stage 3 speed limit is at 60 km/h

Imposing a 100 km/h speed limit on an expressway that is designed to allow a variable direction lane traffic scheme isn’t the smartest way to go about the Skyway Stage 3’s operations. It will only cause more accidents such as vehicles will likely overshoot to the opposite traffic.

If we do the math, it would take you around 18 minutes and 50 seconds to get from Buendia to NLEX, and vice versa, when driving on the 18.83-km Skyway Stage 3 at 60 km/h. This number is still fast as compared to the usual two hours when driving along a different route. Plus, the speed limit will reduce the chances of you getting into an accident.

V. Ongoing construction

As said earlier, the Skyway Stage 3 is expected to be fully completed by December 2022. Construction of the Section 1, Section 2A, Section 2B, Section 3, Section 4, and Section 5 are nearing completion. Meanwhile, the Section 2A’ has a long way to go as the latest report says that it is at 1.69 percent complete.

Other ongoing tasks for the completion of the Skyway Stage 3 include the acquisition of right-of-way. As of this writing, the right-of-way accomplishment is now at 95.25 percent excluding Section 2A’, translating to 237 out of 350 lots with Permit to Enter.

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