Vehicles clog the Southbound lanes of Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) in Kamuning, Quezon City even on a supposedly traffic-free Sunday morning. Motorist regularly plying the stretch of Osmena Highway are advised to take alternative routes starting this week with the expected heavy traffic buildup due to the closure of highway's inner lanes for the start of the Skyway Stage 3 project that will connect the North and South Luzon Expressways. Only 3 Northbound and Southbound lanes of Osmena Highway from Buendia to Quirino Avenue will be open to traffic starting tonight. As such motorist coming from Skyway are encouraged to exit at Magallanes or Amorsolo/Don Bosco in Makati City. The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Expressway Phase 2 project is also slated on begin today. 13 other major road infrastructure projects are scheduled to be undertaken in the metropolis this year. Traffic chaos might be felt during the overlapping of construction projects from the 3rd quarter of 2014 up to 4th quarter of 2015, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said yesterday. According to the Skyway Stage 3 proponent Citra Central Expressway Corp. (CCEC) the physical closure of Osmena Highway's center island and 2 southbound inner lanes will serve as the work site for the projects advance works which covers excavation, bored piling, pile cap and column works. The CCEC also vowed to deploy adequate number of traffic personnel around the vicinity of the work area to manage traffic and assists motorists. Full-scale construction of the Skyway Stage 3 will begin in April and is expected for completion 36 months thereafter constructions cost is estimated at Php 26.5 Billion, according to the CCEC. The Nlex-Slex Connector road is designed to run from the Buendia Exit of Skyway Stage 2 to Balintawak in Quezon City where the Nlex starts. The 14.2 Km 6 lane toll road will predominantly traverse the median of C3 road and Araneta Avenue and cuts through the busy thoroughfares of Central Manila in Osmena Highway, Quirino Avenue, Sta. Mesa, Araneta Ave. and A.Bonifacio Road.
