Muntinlupa sets one-way scheme on SLEX

MANILA, Philippines – The Muntinlupa City government is set to enforce a one-way traffic scheme along the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX)’s East Service Road (ESR), which would be affected by the construction of the Skyway Extension project, starting on Oct. 8.

Motorists could use the ESR’s northbound lane since the southbound lane would be closed to give way to the installation of 41 columns of the Skyway extension project, Muntinlupa Traffic Management Bureau (MTMB) chief Danidon Nolasco said yesterday.

The city government decided to execute a one-way traffic scheme after the stop-and-go scheme caused heavier traffic along the ESR, he said.

Skyway management and its contractor EEI Corp. would install the columns between the Sucat interchange and Alabang viaduct, where a ramp would be built.

From the ESR, motorists may turn right on Sucat Interchange, right on Manuel L. Quezon street, right on Montillano street then back to ESR.

Another route would be from the ESR, enter SLEX, exit through Alabang toll plaza, then proceed to Alabang viaduct then back to ESR.

Lastly, motorists could ply the ESR, turn left on SLEX’s West Service Road (WSR), exit through Filinvest, then go back to ESR.

The Skyway management would install “four temporary toll booths, with one capable of RFID (radio frequency identification) near Amkor Anam, East Service Road for vehicles coming from Alabang to minimize congestion at the existing Alabang northbound toll plaza,” the city government said in its advisory.

Ten-wheeler trucks would be allowed to enter SLEX while the one-way traffic scheme is in effect, it added.

The Skyway management aims to finish building the extension of the elevated expressway in 14 weeks, starting last June. Nolasco believes it can be done in seven weeks.

Once the ESR construction is done, another set of columns would be installed along the WSR and the city government would also implement the same one-way traffic scheme, he added. 

Nolasco gathered representatives from Skyway, EEI, and the city’s barangays, businesses, schools and transport groups last Monday to present the one-way traffic scheme.

Motorists and commuters have had to deal with heavy traffic on SLEX’s northbound lanes since Sept. 26, when Skyway management closed the outermost lane after the Alabang viaduct to give way to the Skyway extension project.