Northbound Part 3: Manila (Quirino Avenue to San Juan Bridge)
The Manila section of the Skyway - the city that is the namesake for the Metro Manila Skyway - is surprisingly short, at least if you don't count the San Juan River section (which borders multiple cities). But in that run from Zobel Roxas Street north-northeast to the Pasig River, a lot of key road connections are being created, ones which could change commute patterns in the region permanently.
As Google Maps still doesn't have any of Stage 3 up in Street View, screenshots are going to be taken from the following video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeUhjxKFJ1c - to provide context for where one is at any given point on the northbound journey.
20 kilometers/12.43 miles north of Susana Heights
Makati/Manila city limit (just after Buendia Toll Plaza)
- This set of designs in general is based on if PAREX is fully built from Anda Circle to Pasig.
- Though Nagtahan and Tomas Claudio are the interchange names, the fact both (potentially) will be connecting to expressways makes it doubly important to include the expressway names there as well. PAREX logo does not exist yet but would be on here once it does.
- Based on more recent editions of the MUTCD, left exits must be doubly marked: first with the left-side tab, and second by a black-on-yellow placard with "LEFT" on it.
Exit 21, Quirino Avenue (to Malate, Ermita, Paco, Pandacan, Santa Ana)
20.6 kilometers/12.8 miles north of Susana Heights
At present, only signed once at exit (as the current overhead advance sign near Buendia is labeled temporarily for Quezon Avenue)
- notation of NLEX Connector being the truck route (more on this when we get to Tomas Claudio interchange)
- existing Quirino Avenue sign would essentially be overhead-mounted now
21 kilometers/13 miles north of Susana Heights
Osmena/Quirino bend
Just after the Quirino Avenue exit is where the Skyway switches alignments to head northeast. Currently waiting to be unveiled in real life are two overhead signs, one for Nagtahan and one for next-three-exits.
Variation 1 still emphasizes the road names, with mention of the Tomas Claudio exit being the destination for Santa Mesa/San Juan-bound drivers.
Variation 2 goes all-out with mentioning place names, with Nagtahan being listed as the exit for San Miguel/Binondo (which would be the case regardless of PAREX being built) and Tomas Claudio serving Sampaloc and (via Harbor Link) Valenzuela.
Variation 3 replaces Valenzuela with Bocaue and Angeles, to really encourage the use of NLEX Connector for through traffic.
Meanwhile, at ground level, a flyover onramp from eastbound Quirino to northbound Skyway is being built. Since we are already in Manila, I opted to list Sampaloc as an onramp destination (trying to encourage drivers heading to that district to take either the Mabini Bridge via Nagtahan, or NLEX Connector to Espana exit).
Exit 22, Nagtahan (PAREX West to Otis/Intramuros/Binondo, Mabini Bridge to San Miguel/Sampaloc/Malacanang)
21.8 kilometers/13.55 miles north of Susana Heights
Looks like this will be a two-lane ramp due to the possible expressway connection here.
Screenshot of Nagtahan/Quirino ramp configuration via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLgcdJIupbI)
On the other end of the ramp is Quirino Avenue southbound, which has direct access to northbound Skyway/eastbound PAREX here (while traffic going to Skyway southbound must travel a few blocks further to the Plaza Dilao onramp, which has been open in some form since 2019).
Update, 4/22/21: This exit is now open and here is the real life signage (photos via dmitrivalencia/Pinoy Joyride page)
My sign concepts for these areas, to use the limited space on the concrete posts and use US-style exit numbering sign at the gore point
Exit 23A, Tomas Claudio/NLEX Connector (to Santa Mesa (and San Juan)/Sampaloc/Caloocan/Port of Manila and Valenzuela (via NLEX Harbor Link))
22.89 kilometers/14.22 miles north of Susana Heights
At Tomas Claudio, we have delineation of where trucks can and can't go, as NLEX Connector is a much straighter alignment and also eventually goes to the major truck destination of the Caloocan Interchange (which leads eventually toward the Port of Manila). The design for this is based on California truck route signing, specifically at the Four Level Interchange in Los Angeles:
Variation 1 is if the exit signage still emphasizes the Tomas Claudio interchange name.
Variation 2 has the destinations as the main focus, with NLEX Connector in particular being noted as the through route to Bulacan/Pampanga.
Exit 23B, PAREX East (to Circuit Makati, Rockwell, Ortigas (via EDSA?), Ft. Bonifacio, Pasig)
23.19 kilometers/14.41 miles north of Susana Heights
Though PAREX's planned route does cover some north Makati destinations like Circuit and Rockwell, Fort Bonifacio seems to be the better control destination (so as to not to create too much confusion when southbound Skyway has Makati as a destination).
Next three exits sign here also helps illustrate how long the run from Pandacan to Quezon Avenue is.
San Juan River near Punta, Santa Ana.
26 kilometers/16.16 miles north of Susana Heights
Approaching the San Juan Bridge (which leads into Santa Mesa)
- First mention of Quezon Avenue exit, as well as the Sgt. Rivera offramp. A full 2km remaining for drivers to move to the rightmost lane and prepare to get off the expressway, similar to 1 1/4 miles ahead signage in the US.
- First usage of Balintawak as a control destination. Very close to Quezon City's border at this juncture. Far enough from Balintawak that it isn't the very next exit, and it is extremely significant due to the presence of EDSA and NLEX in that district.
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