By Lawrence Agcaoili (The Philippine Star) | Updated December 20, 2014 - 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines - Private Infra
Development Corp. (PIDC), a unit of diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corp.
(SMC), yesterday said the completion of the P24-billion Tarlac – Pangasinan –
La Union expressway (TPLEX) project is on track this year.
PIDC president Mark Dumol said the
toll operator is set to open the 13.66-km segment from Rosales to Urdaneta in
Pangasinan today and is expected to ease traffic flow to and from northern
Luzon during the Christmas holidays.
He added that the opening of the
segment would also help accommodate commuters travelling to Manila during the
visit of Pope Francis from Jan. 15 to 19.
“Construction of TPLEX is well on
track and while we still have to make a few more refinements, it is safe to
use. We’re opening early as service to the public,” he said.
He added that users could use the toll
road free of charge until Jan. 20.
With the opening of the new section,
the total length of the four-lane 88.5-kilometer TPLEX now operational is about
63 kilometers.
“Many families will be traveling to
and from northern Luzon during the Holidays, and this is our company’s
Christmas present to them,” he said.
The TPLEX, one of several
infrastructure projects in SMC’s portfolio and its first greenfield tollway
project, is seen as a vital road project in Luzon, connecting the central and
northern Luzon provinces to Manila and beyond through the Subic-Clark-Tarlac
Expressway and the North Luzon Expressway.
From end-to-end, the TPLEX will
traverse 17 towns and two cities (Tarlac and Urdaneta City) across four
provinces: Tarlac, Pangasinan, La Union and Nueva Ecija.
The TPLEX under a
Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) program is being undertaken by the all-Filipino
consortium, including the Consunji-led DMCI Holdings Inc.
Since its diversification to
infrastructure, SMC has been aggressive in pursuing much-needed road projects.
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