NAIA Expressway Christmas lane opens

MANILA, Philippines – Motorists can start using the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Expressway Christmas lane – which links Entertainment City and Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard in Pasay City to NAIA Terminal 3 and Skyway – beginning today.

Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said the government decided to open the Christmas lane to allow motorists coming from Skyway to go directly to NAIA Terminals 1, 2 and 3 or Macapagal Boulevard.

He said around 90 percent of the project has been completed, and work is currently being undertaken to finish the main connection from Skyway to the NAIA Expressway.

The opening of the NAIA Expressway Christmas lane is seen to complement the first phase of the project, which linked Macapagal Boulevard and Entertainment City in Pasay to NAIA Terminals 1 and 2.

“This project would effectively improve traffic flow in the area and will cut travel time by at least 40 percent,” Villar said.

The NAIA Expressway is a four-lane 12.65-kilometer elevated expressway and 2.22-kilometer at-grade road traversing Sales Avenue, Andrews Avenue, Parañaque River, MIAA Road and Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard.

Once all phases of the NAIA Expressway are completed, motorists can enjoy easy access to and from NAIA Terminals 1, 2, 3 and 4.

The project will also interface with the South Luzon Expressway through Sales Interchange, Manila Cavite Toll Expressway and Macapagal Boulevard.

“By first quarter of 2017, we hope to provide the public full access of NAIA Expressway, including Runway Manila,” Villar said.

San Miguel Corp. (SMC) through Vertex Tollways Development Inc. bagged the project under the public-private partnership program in 2013.

Under the contract, SMC will be handling the operations of the expressway over a 30-year period.