Skyway Stage 3: 60 km/h zone from now on?
Ramon Ang sets the record straight on Skyway Stage 3's speed limit
Skyway Stage 3 is almost finished. At the rate things are going, we might even have to pay the toll once Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine is over. But there is still the matter of its speed limit. Will it be 60 km/h for the whole stretch?
The answer seems to be yes. That is according to Biz Buzz columnist Daxim Lucas of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. The story is dated today (April 12, 2021), and the person who answered the speed limit question is none other than Ramon Ang. The top boss of San Miguel Corporation said the 60 km/h limit will remain on the expressway even after the completion of construction works.
With that, Skyway Stage 3 will have the same speed limit as the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Expressway (NAIAX). We know what some of you are thinking: isn't 60 km/h a tad slow for an expressway? Ang has an answer for that.
Skyway Stage 3 will have what is called a variable direction lane scheme. That means there are parts of the expressway that will not have a center divider. Stage 3 will have movable lane dividers that will change during different parts of the day, depending on traffic. All of a sudden, the decision to stick to the 60 km/h limit is sensible. You wouldn't want a car barreling down the wrong way straight at you at 80 km/h. Even a head-on impact at 60 km/h is a frightening thought as that would be a combined speed of 120 km/h.
Ang made another point in the story. Biz Buzz quoted him, saying “There's nothing wrong with 60 km/h. You will still get to your destination a lot faster”. He added, “What will you do with higher speeds? Race? If you want to race, take it to the track in Clark. A lot of people who like to race on roads here, pure yabang lang (they are just show-offs). When they get to the track, they have nothing to show for it”. And for those who want to dismiss Ang's quote, don't even try it. The man is a certified car enthusiast with gasoline coursing through his veins.
That said, there is a section of Skyway Stage 3 that bumps up to 80 km/h. If you're coming from the North, it's the part that joins the original Skyway. If you're coming from the South, it's an 80 km/h zone before the Quirino Interchange. After that, you have to shave off your speed to 60 km/h. If you need a reminder, 60 km/h signs are posted all over the expressway. And if you think you can still get away with driving past the limit, there are Skyway enforcers right by the Quezon Avenue exit ready to give you a citation.
