Authorities on Thursday advised motorists and commuters to brace for a one-month heavy traffic along Shaw Boulevard and other main thoroughfares nearby due to the closure of Sevilla Bridge to give way to the ongoing construction of Skyway Stage 3 project.
Around 30,000 to 40,000 motorists are expected to be affected by the total closure to be imposed by the Metro Manila Development Authority beginning Saturday (March 14) until April 14.
“The bridge, crossing San Juan River and connecting Shaw Boulevard in Burol, Mandaluyong City and P. Sanchez Street in Sta. Mesa, Manila, will be closed starting Saturday at 10 p.m.,” said MMDA general manager Jose Arturo Garcia Jr. in a press briefing held at the MMDA main headquarters in Makati City.
Garcia said the bridge closure is to give way to the construction of the Skyway Stage 3 project, an 18.68-kilometer elevated expressway from Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue in Makati City to Balintawak in Quezon City.
“One-way traffic scheme going to Manila will be implemented every 5 a.m. onwards for one month,” he said.
Trucks will also be prohibited from entering the Valenzuela-P. Sanchez intersection going to Shaw Boulevard.
Motorists coming from Manila are advised to take alternative routes: Turn right to Bagumbayan; and turn left to Lubiran (Bacood Bridge) to New Panaderos going to the destination.
The MMDA has been closely coordinating with the local government officials in the cities of Mandaluyong, San Juan, Manila and Makati to mitigate the expected traffic congestion that the construction project would cause.
A number of traffic enforcers will be deployed to manage traffic in the area and to guide the affected motorists.
Meanwhile, Garcia also announced that the Old Sta. Mesa Bridge is now open to vehicular traffic.