TPLEX completion seen this week

MANILA, Philippines — The last segment that will complete the 89.21-kilometer expressway from Tarlac City to Rosario town in La Union will open this week, Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar said over the weekend.

“This July 15, the 89.21-km Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway or TPLEX will be fully utilized from Tarlac City to Rosario, La Union,” Villar said.

With the opening of the last segment, travel time between Tarlac City and Rosario will be reduced to one hour from 3.5 hours.

Some 20,000 travelers per day will benefit from the reduced travel time.

The construction of the final 11-kilometer Section 3B, from Pozorrubio in Pangasinan to Rosario, started in April 2018 and was completed within 28 months.

“To promote development of Northern Luzon, a proposal to extend TPLEX by an additional 59 kilometers up to San Juan in La Union has been submitted,” Villar said.

The proposed P23.95-billion extension project aims to promote Northern Luzon as well as facilitate connectivity to Central Luzon and Metro Manila through high-speed mobility and secured access.

The project involves a 59.4-km four-lane toll road, which will start from the last exit in Rosario and ends in San Juan.