MANILA - The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is confident that it could address heavy traffic on EDSA with major infrastructure projects in the pipeline.

This, following President Rodrigo Duterte’s statement that the problem is the only campaign promise he has failed to address.

The agency is expecting that two big-ticket projects will decongest EDSA: the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 and NLEX-SLEX Connector Road Project.

“The commitment of the President is to decongest EDSA, and we’re well on our way in achieving this pangarap po ni Pangulo. We are happy to say na gagawa tayo ng dalawang bypass sa EDSA - 'yung connector and 'yung Skyway. Idagdag niyo pa ang bridges sa Pasig," DPWH Secretary Mark Villar.

(The commitment of the President is to decongest EDSA, and we’re well on our way in achieving the President's goal. We are happy to say we are constructing two projects that will bypass EDSA - the connector and the Skyway. You can also add the bridges in Pasig.)

The Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 Project (MMSS3) is a 17.38-kilometer elevated expressway from Gil Puyat Avenue in Makati City to North Luzon Expressway in Balintawak, Quezon City.

The MMSS3 viaduct will connect the South Luzon Expressway and the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and intends to decongest main thoroughfares in the central Metro Manila area, particularly EDSA, by as many as 50,000 cars. It is expected to cut travel time from Makati to Quezon City by 20 minutes, from the current average of about two hours.

The agency targets to complete the project by the end of the year. The P46-billion project encountered delays in construction due to right-of-way issues and the transfer of electricity lines.

“Magiging bypass po ito ng EDSA. Ang nakikita niyo po ngayon tuloy-tuloy ang trabaho, more than 60 percent has been completed. We’re working full time para makuha, ma-resolve ang issues ng right of way. Within this year significant portions magagamit na ng ating kababayan” Villar explained.

(This will bypass EDSA. What you see now is continuous construction, more than 60 percent has been completed. We're working full time so we can resolve right of way issues. Within this year, significant portions will be opened to the public.)

The DPWH is eyeing to open the whole section of the NLEX-SLEX Connector Road Project by next year.

The 8-kilometer elevated 4-lane toll expressway extends the NLEX southward from the end of Harbor Link Segment 10 in C3 Road in Caloocan City to the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) in Sta. Mesa, Manila and then to the common alignment in the Skyway Stage 3.

The project, which mostly traverses the PNR tracks, would include two interchanges located at C3 Road in Caloocan and España Avenue in Manila. Cutting across Manila, Caloocan, Malabon, and Navotas, it is expected to benefit at least 35,000 motorists per day and reduce travel time from NLEX to SLEX from two hours to just 20 minutes.

The connector will eventually link to three key projects: the Skyway Stage 3, the NLEX Harbor Link, and the Caloocan interchange.

Aside from these two projects, the DPWH conducted final inspection of a portion of the C5 South Link Expressway project. The segment will connect Taguig City and Merville in Parañaque. The construction is 87-percent complete and is expected to be open to motorists by June.

Once completed, drivers using C5 can easily cross over to Merville using the new road link.