MANILA, Philippines – The construction of the C5 South Link will cause traffic congestion in parts of Parañaque later this year, the Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) said on Friday, February 9.

Arlette Capistano, MPTC assistant vice president for corporate communications, said that the project will affect Barangay Merville in Parañaque, and the West Service Road in Sucat up to the Cavite Expressway (Cavitex).

The P12-billion C5 South Link project will connect C5 Road to the Cavitex.

Capistrano said that the project started in June 2017 and construction will most likely bring heavy traffic by the third or fourth quarter of 2018.

“There will be traffic expected around probably before the end of December 2018 once we progress doing all the foundations and other girders that will support the full lanes of the expressway,” she said.

Capistrano said MPTC is working with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to assist in traffic management. (READ: Metro Pacific unit to borrow P36 billion for 2 new toll roads)

MMDA Assistant General Manager Jojo Garcia said that the MMDA will help in managing the traffic as the project commences.

“Traffic bottleneck in the said areas is very heavy,” Garcia said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Capistrano said that the C5 South Link project is expected to be completed by March 2019, earlier than the target of the 1st quarter of 2020.

 “There’s a smoother flow from C5 extension going towards inside that side of Merville which are also inside the MIAA (Metro International Airport Authority) property going out to Cavitex,” said Capistrano.

Around 45,000 vehicles are expected to benefit from the 7.7-kilometer C5 South Link project, decongesting EDSA when it starts commercial operations in 2019.– Rappler.com