Buendia to Balintawak in 15 mins? NLEX-SLEX connector launched

MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III led on Wednesday the launching of the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 (MMS3) which will connect the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) and the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX).

The project involves the building of a 14.8-kilometer, six-lane elevated expressway that starts at the end of Skyway Stage 1 along Buendia Avenue.

The connector-road then runs the length of Osmeña Highway, Quirino Avenue, Paco, Sta. Mesa via the Nagtahan flyovers. It traverses Aurora Blvd and Araneta Ave. up to Sgt Rivera Road and A Bonifacio Ave. toward North Luzon Expressway.

President Aquino said the project, which costs P26 billion, will help decongest the major roads of Metro Manila, particularly EDSA and C-5.

"Tinatayang 55,000 sasakyan araw-araw ang ikaluluwag ng mga kalsadang ito. Siguro rin po, karamihan sa atin, dumaan na sa matinding kalbaryo ng pagbiyahe mula Buendia hanggang Balintawak," Aquino said.

"'Di po ba, halos dalawang oras, ‘pag minalas, ang inaabot nito dahil sa siksikan sa mga kalsada? Kapag nabuksan na po itong MMS 3, papatak na lang sa 15 hanggang 20 minuto ang biyaheng iyan," he added.

The Citra Central Expressway Corporation is set to start the full-scale construction this April and is expected to complete the project by 2017.

Aquino said the project will also create some 18,000 jobs.

"Makakapaghatid ang proyektong ito ng halos 6,000 na direktang trabaho, at karagdagang 10 hanggang 12 libong indirect jobs sa panahon ng kostruksyon," the President said.