San Miguel Corp. (SMC) yesterday started full operation of the 89.21-kilometer (km.) Tarlac -Pangasinan -La Union Expressway (TPLEX) with the opening of the final section from Pozorrubio, Pangasinan to Rosario, La Union.
The opening of the last 11-km. segment of the TPLEX will reduce travel time from Tarlac to Rosario to just one hour from 3.5 hours and from Metro Manila to Baguio to 3.5 hours from six.
With the completion of the final section, SMC plans to further extend TPLEX all the way to San Juan, La Union.
In total, the TPLEX now has 10 interchanges and 11 toll plazas, namely Tarlac City, Victoria, Pura, Ramos, Anao, in Tarlac; Carmen, Urdaneta, Binalonan, Pozorrubio, Sison in Pangasinan, and Rosario, La Union. The Sison, Pangasinan exit was added to the original alignment and is being completed.
“Our next goal now is to extend TPLEX all the way to San Juan. We look forward to the continued support of our national and local governments for this project, which will bring even more growth to the region,” said Ramon Ang, SMC president, who added the completion of TPLEX, along with its commitment to continue investments in major infrastructure projects, is SMC’s contribution to government’s efforts to boost the economy.
SMC received original proponent status on its proposal on the four-lane extension covering another 59 kms.
Mark Villar, secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways, said the expressway would be vital to bringing tourism and trade back to Central and Northern Luzon.
