BY: CHARLES NIKKO LIMON
As the long-overdue rehabilitation of EDSA begins this June 13, the government plans to ease traffic woes by offering free toll access on a portion of Skyway Stage 3.
Motorists like Jun Linggad are already planning how to avoid the expected congestion.
“I might just take Roxas Boulevard or other alternate routes. You know how traffic gets in EDSA,” he said.
“But if Skyway is free, that’s really helpful. I usually go through NLEX and then take Skyway. It’s faster and less stressful.”
To address the potential traffic buildup, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) plans to waive toll fees on parts of Skyway Stage 3 that will serve as alternative routes.
“We’ll make the toll free in the segment where vehicles will be rerouted away from EDSA,” said Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon.
“We’re still finalizing the details in the coming weeks or months, since construction hasn’t started yet.”
The toll-free segment could be implemented around July or August, depending on the progress of construction mobilization by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan explained the urgency of EDSA’s full rehabilitation.
“We’ve been doing reblocking over and over because many of the existing pavements are weak and collapsing,” he said. “As the President said, we need to do it once and for all to stop the repeated weekend reblocking.”
Only one lane will be closed at a time during the repairs, and the EDSA Busway will remain operational.
Three lanes will still be open for motorists.
“We’ll have several contractors working simultaneously. We’ll prioritize the southbound side first, then move to the northbound side next year,” Bonoan added.
Skyway Stage 3 spans from Balintawak in Quezon City to Buendia in Makati. According to Sec. Dizon,
“It’s not from Alabang to the end, just the segments being used as alternate routes. We’re still discussing this with the Toll Regulatory Board and San Miguel Corporation.”
On May 29, the DOTr confirmed that San Miguel Corporation Tollways and Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation agreed to the plan.
The department expressed gratitude to SMC President Ramon Ang and MPIC Chairman Manny V. Pangilinan for temporarily setting aside revenue in support of public welfare.
