MANILA - San Miguel Corp said Monday it will be partially opening Skyway 3 to motorists on Dec. 29, Tuesday, and will not be charging fees on the new tollway for a month.

The Skyway 3, which connects the North Luzon Expressway to the South Luzon Expressway, will have four usable lanes on its soft opening, the company said.

By January 14, San Miguel will formally open all seven lanes of the entire 18-kilometer stretch from Buendia, Makati to NLEX, said SMC president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang.

“We are glad to finally welcome motorists, even on a limited capacity, starting December 29. While this is only a partial opening, given the scale and importance of this project, this is a very significant development,” Ang said.

• NLEX, SLEX now connected via Skyway 3 as San Miguel completes 'link' project

San Miguel would have opened the expressway sooner, Ang said, but disruptions caused by recent typhoons meant more time needed to allow for the curing of concrete, and prepare for asphalting.

“We cannot rush the curing of concrete and preparation for asphalt, because these have to be given enough time and have to be done according to the highest specifications to ensure quality and safety,” he said.

The new toll road is expected to reduce travel time between Makati to NLEX to only 20 minutes, and Alabang and NLEX to only 30 minutes.

Skyway 3 will also serve as an alternative to Edsa for those traveling between Metro Manila cities, reducing traffic on the country’s busiest thoroughfare, San Miguel said.

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