C-5 South Link under way

THE C5 Road and the elevated U-turns LEO M. SABANGAN II

Infrastructure giant Metro Pacific Investments Corp. said the first phase of its C-5 South Link Expressway project is on track and will be finished by March 2019, a statement showed.

The first phase is a 2.2-km section that will connect C-5 to Merville.

The entire project is a six-lane 7.7-km expressway that will run to the Manila Cavite Expressway (Cavitex) via Merville and Sucat. It is slated for completion in 2021.

Metro Pacific unit Cavitex Infrastructure Corp. (CIC), the concessionaire of Cavitex, said the project will cost around P10 billion. It is expected to benefit 50,000 vehicles by decongesting Sales Road in Pasay and Edsa when it starts commercial operations.

Moreover, travel time from Parañaque, Las Piñas and Cavite to Taguig will be cut to 20 to 30 minutes from the usual one and a half hour drive with the direct access to C5.

“C-5 South Link is progressing as scheduled. When completed, the road will provide motorists from Parañaque, Las Piñas and Cavite direct access to C-5.  We also want to inform the public that by the end of September, we will be launching girders that will cross the at-grade portion of Skyway and South Luzon Expressway. This is a critical activity of the project and we expect substantial completion after the girders are installed,” Luigi Bautista, president and CEO of CIC, said in a statement.

Bautista noted that the construction of the expressway could cause added road congestion in the area.

“We would like to seek the understanding and patience of all motorists using the Skyway and SLEx between Nichols Toll Plaza and Bicutan. We as well advise them to plan their trips and look for alternative routes. Partial closure of Skyway and SLEx during off-peak hours is necessary when we position and install the girders,” he said.

Bautista explained that a so-called stop and go traffic system with 15 minute intervals will be introduced between 4 a.m. and 10 p.m. from Sept. 29 through Nov. 22.

“On-ground traffic support will be deployed to ensure motorists are assisted and guided.  The completion of the launching should allow us to complete and open the Merville section of C-5 South Link by the end of March of 2019,” he added. – By: Miguel R. Camus