Skyway (Metro Manila)

Skyway
Route information
Length	31.2 km (19.4 mi) including Stage 3 (under construction)
Component highways	R-3 R-3 AH26 in Metro Manila
Major junctions
North end	N190 (Gil Puyat Avenue) / Malugay Street in Makati
South end	N145 (Osmeña Highway) / Bunye Road in Alabang, Muntinlupa
Location
Major cities	Makati, Pasay, Taguig, Parañaque, Muntinlupa
Highway system
Roads in the Philippines Highways Expressways List

On the northbound lane of the Skyway.

The Skyway, or officially, the Metro Manila Skyway System (MMSWS), is an elevated highway serving as the main expressway in southern Metro Manila, Philippines, following much of the existing South Luzon Expressway (SLEX)'s alignment by going over it. It stretches from Gil Puyat Avenue in the north to Alabang–Zapote Road in the south and crosses through the highly urbanized areas of Makati, Pasay, Taguig, Parañaque, and Muntinlupa, relieving the SLEX and other major thoroughfares from heavy traffic.

The Skyway is the first fully grade-separated highway in the Philippines. It is one of the longest flyovers in the world with a total length of 31.2 kilometres (19.4 mi). The Skyway provides access to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport via the new NAIA Expressway. With the completion of the Skyway Extension Stage 3 scheduled in 2020, the elevated expressway will connect to the North Luzon Expressway in Quezon City and help cut the travel time between Manila and Clark International Airport in Pampanga.^[1]

Route description

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

The Skyway looking south towards the NAIA Interchange

The Skyway originally begins in Barangay San Isidro, Makati, just south of Gil Puyat Avenue. It rises above the Magallanes Interchange and returns to its original level after crossing EDSA. The first elevated segment ends with the NAIA Expressway interchange, where it descends into ground level because of structural height restrictions from its proximity to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, paralleling SLEX and the PNR Metro South Commuter Line in the Pasay–Taguig boundary. Skyway returns into an elevated expressway near C-5 Exit and Arca South. It soon slightly curves in Bicutan, near its former terminus, and continuously runs above SLEX. On Sucat Exit, Skyway rises above the eastern terminus of Dr. A. Santos Avenue and descends before approaching the toll plaza in Cupang, Muntinlupa. An exit leads back to the South Luzon Expressway and an entrance ramp carries traffic vice versa. Past the toll plaza and the exit to SLEX, Skyway narrows into one lane per direction, and curves westward before joining Alabang–Zapote Road near South Station in Alabang.

History

The Skyway System Logo from 2009-2017, still used alternatively

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.^[2] 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. Traffic is still routed back to at-grade portion.

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.^[3]

Operations

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.

Expansion and maintenance

Stage 3

Under-construction Stage 3 segment of the Skyway at Gregorio Araneta Avenue.

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.^[4][5] But due to right of way issues the project may finish in 2020.^[6][7]

According to Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar and Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, the Buendia-Quirino portion of Skyway stage 3 will be open to motorists in June 2018.

Technical specifications

• Name: Metro Manila Skyway
• Concession Holder: Citra Metro Manila Tollways Corporation
• Operator: Skyway Operations and Maintenance Corporation (SOMCo.)
• Length: 17 kilometres (11 miles)
• Concession starting date: August 24, 1995 (it will start after the rehabilitation, modernization, and extension of the Alabang-Santo Tomas segment)
• Concession ending date: 2010
• Highway exits: 10
• Exit ramps: 3
• Toll plazas: 2
• Height: 11 metres or 36 feet (San Martin De Porres-Bicutan, Don Bosco-Gil Puyat, Makati CBD Exit and Hillsborough-Alabang), 43 metres or 141 feet (Bicutan-Toll A, and Sales-Don Bosco), normal (Toll A-B), 19 metres or 62 feet (Bicutan Exit, Sucat)

Future

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 construction. Currently, the government has accepted two different proposals wherein one is 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 dubbed as the "NLEX-SLEX Connector Road" while the other is from Citra Metro Manila Tollways Corporation (CMMTC), which runs the Skyway and STAR Tollway, to build the original Skyway Stage 3 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.

Tolls

A Skyway toll plaza near Sucat, Muntinlupa.

The Skyway employs a combination of open road, closed road, and barrier toll systems. Northbound toll collection is done at toll barriers at Muntinlupa, where vehicles from the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) are paid a toll based on their entry point at SLEX, and exits have no toll collection at all. Southbound toll collection is done at the toll barriers upon exit, but for those exiting to SLEX, the toll collection is done on its exits instead. No tickets are issued on entry points on the Skyway.

The Skyway also employs electronic toll collection (ETC) using the Autosweep RFID, and the ETC system previously used E-Pass, which used transponder technology. The ETC systems are also used on the South Luzon Expressway and NAIA Expressway. ETC collection lanes are usually on the leftmost lane of a toll plaza, but may occur on mixed lanes, where cash payments can be done alongside ETC.

As of April 2011, the toll rates (both cash and ETC), from Ayala Greenfield toll plaza, the first toll barrier at South Luzon Expressway northbound, are as follows:

Exits

Kilometer count are measured from Kilometer Zero in Rizal Park.

Current and Former Exits

Province	City/Municipality	km	mi	Exit	Name	Destinations	Notes
Makati		6	3.7		Buendia	Buendia	Northbound exit and southbound entrance. North end of expressway.
		7	4.3		Amorsolo	Amorsolo	Northbound exit and southbound entrance.
		7	4.3		Don Bosco	Don Bosco Street	Northbound exit and southbound entrance. Access to Don Bosco Technical Institute.
		9	5.6		Magallanes	Magallanes	Northbound exit and southbound entrance. North end of AH26 concurrency.
Taguig		9	5.6		NAIA	E6 (NAIAx) – NAIA Terminals 1,2,3	Sales Interchange
		11	6.8	Skyway Nichols toll plaza A (1997-2011 demolished. 2017-January 26, 2018 Northbound only. Autosweep RFID only)
		11	6.8	Skyway Nichols toll plaza B (1997-2011 demolished. 2017-January 26, 2018 Cash payment only)
Parañaque		14	8.7		Doña Soledad	Bicutan, Doña Soledad	Southbound exit and northbound entrance.
		16	9.9		San Martin de Porres (demolished)	SLEX	Temporary southbound exit and northbound entry ramps prior to Stage 2.
Muntinlupa		19	12		Dr. A. Santos	Sucat, Dr. A. Santos	Southbound exit and northbound entrance.
		20	12	Alabang toll plaza A (Northbound and Southbound. Autosweep RFID and cash payment for Northbound, Pass-thru for Southbound)
		20	12	Alabang toll plaza B (Northbound only. Autosweep RFID and cash payment)
		20	12			E2 / AH26 (SLEX) – Calamba	Southbound exit and northbound entrance. South end of AH26 concurrency
		21	13	South Station toll plaza (Autosweep RFID and cash payment)
		22	14		South Station	Filinvest City, Alabang	Southbound exit and northbound entrance. South end of expressway.
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Closed/former       Incomplete access       Concurrency terminus       Tolled       Unopened

See also

• Metro Manila Dream Plan

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Metro Manila Skyway.

• Metro Manila Skyway Official Website

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