Skyway (Metro Manila)

Skyway facing southbound towards Magallanes (April 2015)

Skyway looking south towards the NAIA Interchange (2015)

From the north, Skyway begins at the North Luzon Expressway, beneath the Libis Baesa Overpass just south of the Balintawak Toll Plaza in Caloocan.[2] There, Skyway Stage 3 between NLEx and Buendia begins. It rises over the Old Novaliches and Camachile Flyovers of Quirino Highway and the Balintawak Interchange in Quezon City and returns to its original level as it runs over A. Bonifacio Avenue. It then veers east towards Sgt. Rivera Avenue and Gregorio Araneta Avenue, both components of Circumferential Road 3 (C-3) where it becomes a double decker elevated highway, the first of its kind in the Philippines. The lower deck carries northbound traffic, while the upper deck carries southbound traffic. The Del Monte toll plaza, which consists of two toll barriers on each deck, could be found there. It then merges back to a single deck above the Del Monte Avenue intersection. It then rises over the Quezon Avenue–Araneta Avenue intersection and returns to its original level past the Quezon Avenue Exit. Past Aurora Boulevard/Magsaysay Boulevard near Santa Mesa, it then follows the curve of the San Juan River up to the river's mouth at the Pasig River in Manila. It then returns to land, entering the private San Miguel Yamamura Packaging Corporation plant (owned by the same Skyway concessionaire San Miguel Corporation) in Pandacan. It then veers southwest towards Tomas Claudio Street (Paco-Santa Mesa Road), where it becomes a double decker elevated highway once again, crosses Plaza Azul, proceeds to Quirino Avenue, and merges back into a single deck near Plaza Dilao in Paco. It then veers southeast towards Osmeña Highway. Two toll plazas would be built for southbound motorists near the Manila–Makati boundary, just before the exit to Gil Puyat Avenue (Buendia Avenue). It then rises above the Osmeña Highway–Buendia Avenue intersection and Buendia Flyover and returns to its original level to meet with the initial alignment of Skyway.[6]

From south of Gil Puyat Avenue, Stage 1 begins. It rises above the Magallanes Interchange and returns to its original level after crossing EDSA. Past its interchange with the NAIA Expressway, it descends into ground level because of height restrictions on structures near Ninoy Aquino International Airport and also due to the airport runway approach is directly perpendicular to this section, paralleling South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) and the PNR Metro South Commuter Line along the Pasay–Taguig boundary. The Skyway elevates again past the C-5 Exit and Arca South. From Bicutan, at the start of Stage 2, it continuously runs above SLEX. At the Sucat Exit, the Skyway rises above the eastern end of Dr. Santos Avenue and descends before approaching the Alabang toll plaza in Cupang, Muntinlupa. An exit leading down to SLEX then follows. Past the toll plaza and the exit to SLEX, the Skyway would be split into two: a one-lane-per-direction segment towards Alabang–Zapote Road near South Station in Alabang and its 6-kilometer (3.7 mi) extension currently under construction that will carry traffic through Alabang. The latter will run along both sides of SLEX and cross above the shoulder of Alabang Viaduct, Filinvest Exit, and descend in Putatan, where three northbound toll plazas will serve entering vehicles about 2 kilometers (1.2 mi) north of the Susana Heights Exit.[7]

The Skyway System Logo from 1996 to 2017, still used alternatively

In November 1995, the Jakarta-based investor Citra Lamtoro Gung Persada (CITRA, owned by Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, a daughter of then-Indonesian president Suharto) 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. It was the result of negotiations that 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, Citra Metro Manila Tollways Corporation (CMMTC as the concessionaire was formally established), was mandated to finance, design, and construct stage 1 of the South Metro Manila Tollway Project, consisting of an elevated expressway from Bicutan to Buendia and the rehabilitation of the at-grade portion of the South Metro Manila Tollway project. The STOA was approved by Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos in April 1996.

Stage 3

South Superhighway-Buendia segment (September 2019)

Araneta Avenue segment (September 2019)

Segment 5 over Balintawak Cloverleaf (December 2020)

Construction progress of Skyway Stage 3

Dubbed as "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 Corporation-backed Citra Metro Manila Tollways Corp. (CMMTC) which according to their proposal would run from Bicutan, Taguig to Balintawak, Quezon City. The DPWH included the project in its PPP thrust and subjected the proposal to a Swiss Challenge, a procedure that 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.

Construction of Skyway Stage 3 started on February 17, 2014.[9][10] However, construction delays and right-of-way issues has rescheduled its target completion date to 2020.[11]

The original plans called for the 14 km (8.7 mi) project to be divided into four segments.[12] The original alignment would consist of Zamora flyover, crossing the Pasig River, meeting up with the NLEX-SLEX Connector near the PUP campus, and passing through Old Santa Mesa Road and V. Mapa Street. However, due to right-of-way issues, the alignment was forced to be realigned, veering right from Tomas Claudio Street through the San Miguel Yamamura Packaging Corporation plastic plant in Pandacan, and follow the San Juan River up to Gregorio Araneta Avenue. A second modification of the plans added a fifth segment at the north end of the project. Instead of ending at the Balintawak Cloverleaf at EDSA, Segment 5 would cross over EDSA and Quirino Highway's Camachile and Old Novaliches Flyovers and ultimately connect to the Balintawak Toll Plaza of North Luzon Expressway in Caloocan, bringing the entire Stage 3 segment to approximately 18.83 kilometers (11.70 mi) long.[2] This new segment opens a new possibility of further expansion to the north.

A short stretch of the northbound lanes of the Buendia–Quirino portion which crosses Buendia Avenue was opened to motorists in June 2018.[13] The Buendia–Plaza Dilao segment was then partially opened on July 22, 2019, toll-free and exclusively to Class 1 vehicles only.[14][15] The northbound exit ramp to Quirino Avenue was completed on December 23.[2] On February 1, 2020, a fire at the San Miguel Yamamura Packaging Corporation plastic plant in Pandacan caused a 300 m (980 ft) portion of Skyway Stage 3 to collapse, causing untimely delays in the project.[16] The damaged portions from the fire required total reconstruction of the pierheads and the replacement of the burnt girders, pushing back the opening of the segment to November 2020.[17]

On October 13, 2020, San Miguel Corporation announced a final concrete pouring and completion of Skyway Stage 3. However, due to continuous rainfalls, the asphalt laiding was delayed.[18][19][20] On December 29, 2020, the remaining segment of Skyway Stage 3 up to NLEX partially opened.[21] It later became fully operational on January 15, 2021.[22] The Buendia northbound entry ramp, Quezon Avenue Exit, Del Monte toll plaza (southbound only, followed by northbound), and its northern terminus at NLEX (Balintawak) were then opened to the public.[23][24] The section is closed every 10pm to 5am to allow for finishing touches along the section.

The rehabilitated at-grade portion of the South Luzon Expressway from Nichols to Alabang and the Metro Manila Skyway System are both operated by the Skyway Operations and Maintenance Corporation (SOMCo), a company of the existing PNCC concession holder, and 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 with the provisions stipulated in the July 2007 Amended Supplemental Toll Operators Agreement (A-STOA) between the PNCC, Citra Metro Manila Tollways Corporation, and the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB), which awarded the management of the 35-kilometer toll road to Citra. Skyway used the using Vendeka toll collection system. SOMCo is in charge of the three major operational functions of the Skyway: traffic safety and management, maintenance, and toll collection.

• Name: Metro Manila Skyway
• Concession Holder: Citra Metro Manila Tollways Corporation
• Operator: Skyway Operations and Maintenance Corporation (SOMCo.)
• Length: approximately 41 kilometres (25 miles) (including Stage 3 and Extension Project)
• Concession starting date: August 24, 1995
• Concession ending date: 2010
• Highway exits: 21 (13 operational + 1 temporary, 7 under construction)
• Lanes: 7 lanes from Sgt. Rivera to Sucat; 5 lanes (2 southbound lanes and 3 northbound lanes) of Extension Project; 4 lanes (2 in each direction) from Sgt. Rivera to NLEX-Balintawak and from Sucat to Hillsborough; 3 lanes (2 lanes southbound, 1 lane northbound) from Hillsborough to Alabang-Zapote[12]
• Exit ramps: 3
• Toll plazas: 5 (3 operational, 2 under construction or proposed)
• Height: 11 metres or 36 feet (Bicutan to Sucat, Buendia to Don Bosco, Amorsolo, and Hillsborough to Alabang), 43 metres or 141 feet (Runway Toll Plaza to Bicutan and Don Bosco to NAIA), normal (Runway Toll Plaza), 19 metres or 62 feet (Bicutan Exit and Sucat Exit)

Looking south towards Alabang toll plaza in Muntinlupa.

The expressway employs a combination of open road, closed road, and barrier toll systems. Northbound toll collection is done at toll barriers upon entry; exits especially on Skyway Stage 1 and 2 have no toll collection at all.[29] Northbound vehicles entering Skyway upon exit from South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) in Muntinlupa are paid a toll fee based on their entry point at the latter. Southbound toll collection, meanwhile, is done at the toll barriers upon exit; for those exiting to NAIAx and SLEx, including towards Muntinlupa–Cavite Expressway (MCX), toll collection is done on its toll barriers instead. No tickets are issued on entry points on Skyway. Stage 3 is currently toll-free until further notice.[21][30]

Skyway employs the RFID-based Autosweep electronic toll collection (ETC) system used on the expressways under San Miguel Tollways. Previously, the transponder-based E-Pass was used. 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. More ETC collection lanes were added on toll barriers as Philippine tollways shift towards full cashless toll collection.[31]

As of August 2020, the toll rates are as follows:[32]

Exits and intersections are numbered by kilometer post, with Rizal Park in Manila designated as Kilometer 0. 

.

Province	City/Municipality	km	mi	Exit	Name	Destinations	Notes
Caloocan[lower-alpha 2]					NLEx[33] (Balintawak)	E1 / AH26 (NLEx) – Tarlac, Baguio	Northbound exit and southbound entrance. Current northern terminus of Skyway system.
Quezon City					A. Bonifacio[34]	N160 (A. Bonifacio Avenue) – Balintawak	Future southbound entrance and northbound exit
					Sgt. Rivera	N130 (5th Avenue) / N160 (A. Bonifacio Avenue) – Caloocan, Port of Manila, Balintawak	Future northbound exit to N130 (5th Avenue) / N160 (A. Bonifacio Avenue) and future southbound exit and entrance to/from N130 (5th Avenue)
				Del Monte Toll Plaza
					Quezon Avenue	N130 (G. Araneta Avenue) / N170 (Quezon Avenue)
					E. Rodriguez	N130 (G. Araneta Avenue) – Santa Mesa, San Juan, New Manila	Future southbound exit south of E. Rodriguez Sr. Avenue. Access to N180 (Aurora Boulevard & Magsaysay Boulevard).
					Aurora Boulevard	N130 (G. Araneta Avenue) / N180 (Aurora Boulevard & Magsaysay Boulevard)	Future northbound entrance[35]
						G. Araneta Avenue	Future northbound entrance near N. Domingo Street in San Juan
Manila					Tomas Claudio[36]		Link with the future NLEX Connector project
					Nagtahan	N140 (Quirino Avenue) – Mabini Bridge, Nagtahan, Pandacan	Future northbound entrance, northbound exit, and southbound exit
					Plaza Dilao	N140 (Quirino Avenue) / N156 (Quirino Avenue Extension / Plaza Dilao Road) – Plaza Dilao, Paco	Southbound entrance and future southbound exit
					Quirino	N145 (Osmeña Highway) / N140 (Quirino Avenue)	Northbound exit and future northbound entrance
				Gil Puyat Toll Plaza B (southbound only)[34]
				Gil Puyat Toll Plaza A (southbound only)[34]
Makati		– 6	– 3.7		Buendia	N145 (Osmeña Highway) / N190 (Buendia Avenue)
		6.6	4.1		Amorsolo	Amorsolo Street	Northbound exit and southbound entrance. Access to Legazpi Village, Makati CBD. Entrance ramp is accessible via Arnaiz Avenue.
		7	4.3		Don Bosco	N145 (Osmeña Highway) / Don Bosco Street	Northbound exit. Access to Don Bosco Technical Institute and Chino Roces Avenue (Pasong Tamo).
Pasay – Taguig boundary		9.4	5.8		Magallanes	E2 / AH26 (SLEx) – Magallanes	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
Taguig		9.7– 9.9	6.0– 6.2		NAIA	E6 (NAIAx) – NAIA Terminals 1, 2, 3	Sales Interchange
		11	6.8	Runway Toll Plaza A (northbound only, pass-thru for northbound light vehicles) (1997–2011, 2018–2020, demolished)[29][37][38]
		11.1	6.9	Runway Toll Plaza B (northbound only, pass-thru and RFID installation and reloading station) (1997–2011, demolished; 2018–present)[37][29]
		12	7.5			E2 (SEMME) – TITX, Arca South, Rizal, Batasan	Directional T interchange
Parañaque		13.7	8.5		Bicutan	Doña Soledad Avenue – Bicutan	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
		14.6	9.1			SLEx	Temporary southbound exit and northbound entry ramps near SLEx-Bicutan Exit prior to the opening of Stage 2
Parañaque – Muntinlupa boundary		17.5	10.9		Sucat	N63 (Dr. A. Santos Avenue) – Sucat	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
Muntinlupa		19.0	11.8	Alabang Toll Plaza A (pass-thru for southbound vehicles and northbound heavy vehicles)
		19.1	11.9	Alabang Toll Plaza B (northbound only, pass-thru for northbound heavy vehicles)
		19.5	12.1		Hillsborough	E2 / AH26 (SLEx) – Calamba	Southbound exit and former northbound entrance.
		21.1	13.1	South Station Toll Plaza (2011–2020, demolished)[38]
		22.33	13.88			E2 / AH26 (SLEx) – Calamba	Southbound exit and northbound entrance, exclusively for Class 1 vehicles.[39][40] Temporary 2-lane steel ramp built along the Alabang Viaduct.[41]
		22.6	14.0		South Station (Alabang-Zapote)	N411 (Alabang-Zapote Road) – South Station, Las Piñas	Southbound exit and northbound entrance. Current south end of expressway.
						E2 / AH26 (SLEx)	Skyway-Alabang Viaduct Connecting Ramp. Future northbound entrance to be built on the shoulder of Alabang Viaduct[7]
				Toll Plaza (northbound only)[7]
					Susana Heights	E2 / AH26 (SLEx) – Calamba, MCX	Future southern terminus. Future southbound exit and northbound entrance.[7][40]
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Closed/former       Incomplete access       Tolled       Unopened

• Metro Manila Dream Plan

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Metro Manila Skyway.

• Metro Manila Skyway Official Website