The Skyway Stage 2 project is still ahead of its target schedule at the end of the first quarter of 2010 despite some delays it encountered in the acquisition of the required right of way (ROW) and relocation of some utilities, project developer Citra Metro Manila Tollways Corporation (CMMTC) said in a statement.

As of March 25, the project is already 45.38-percent finished, and is still ahead by 1.2 percent of the 44.13-percent official target accomplishment schedule even as some concerns over the required ROW and utilities relocation are being addressed.

In road infrastructure projects, it is the responsibility of the Department of Public Works and Highways to acquire the required ROW on behalf of the government and the project proponent.

For the Skyway Stage 2 project, about 8,500 square meters of ROW are needed for road widening and column construction for the on-off ramps in the Sucat and Alabang areas. Most of these ROW had already been served, allowing project contractor D.M. Consunji Inc. (DMCI) to start work on bored piles and columns.

However, a few remaining ROW that had not been served according to schedule continues to affect the construction timetable in these areas. CMMTC also assists the concerned utilities companies in the relocation of their facilities that affect the project.

The construction of the Sucat on-off ramps on Dr. A. Santos Avenue is in progress, with the widening of the Sucat Road already completed. The bored pile works on the East and West Service Roads are ongoing and are nearing completion.

These activities inevitably cause some traffic inconvenience inside the tollway and on the service roads. The Stage 2 traffic manager Skyway O&M Corporation (SOMCO) is doing its best to keep the traffic moving.

Eduardo Nepomuceno, SOMCO head of special operations and external affairs, said a stop-and-go scheme is being implemented at EWSRs where additional traffic enforcers are deployed on a round-the-clock basis to regulate the flow of traffic and assist motorists.

Nepomuceno also appealed to all affected motorists for more understanding and cooperation. He added that CMMTC and DMCI are working at breakneck pace to complete the road-widening and foundation works in these areas to ease traffic between Bicutan and Sucat and complete the on-off ramps earlier than scheduled.

Meanwhile, construction of the slip ramp toward Alabang, which involves the realignment of the service roads and the foundation system, is also ongoing.

Currently, work on the elevated road structure is being accelerated with the installation and concreting of the deck slab support, parapets and curbs. With these developments, CMMTC is confident that the completion in May 2011 for the entire Skyway Stage 2 will be achieved.

Skyway Stage 2 is the 6.88-kilometer elevated toll road from Bicutan to Alabang that will extend the existing 9.5-km Skyway Stage 1 from Buendia to Bicutan for a total of over 16 km elevated road, where travel between Alabang and Bicutan will be a breeze at less than 12 minutes after May 2011.