Driving between La Union and Pangasinan is bound to become more convenient as the Department of Finance (DOF) announced the approval of the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union (TPLEX) extension project.
A 59.4-km extension for the TPLEX is underway
Spanning 59.4 km in length, the TPLEX extension project aims to cut travel time between Rosario, Pangasinan, and San Juan, La Union from 96 minutes to 42 minutes. This follows the completion of the 89.31 km expressway’s final section in 2020, which reduced the travel time from Manila to Baguio to three hours.
With a 2028 completion target, the first section between Rosario and Tubao is then slated to be operational by 2026. Motorists who want to traverse the TPLEX will need to install an Autosweep RFID, the same device used on toll roads under the San Miguel Corporation (SMC) including the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), NAIA Expressway (NAIAX), and STAR Tollway.
“The government is committed to strengthening and facilitating PPPs. This requires a well-functioning and responsive policy framework, underpinned by transparency and accountability,” added Diokno.
The TPLEX extension project will be instrumental in bringing the Luzon Spine Expressway Network (LSEN) program’s goal to fruition. This program aims to reduce the travel time between Ilocos and Bicol from 20 to just nine hours. It would make traveling to different parts of Luzon faster and help minimize the use of national roads.
The surfing capital will be closer than ever
Note that the evaluation and approval process for the project is said to be the fastest recorded for a public-private (PPP) proposal. It was submitted to the Investment Coordination Committee in March 2023 and later elevated to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).
“The TPLEX Extension Project’s swift approval demonstrates the President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. administration’s resolve to cut bureaucratic red tape and streamline government processes. This is critical to accelerating much-needed investments in infrastructure,” said DOF Secretary Benjamin Diokno.
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