By Aerol John Pateña
MANILA -- The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) opened on Wednesday a segment of
the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX) stretching from Binalonan to
Pozzorubio, both in Pangasinan which will ensure ease of travel in the northern
Luzon.
This as the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) has granted a Toll Operation
Permit (TOP) to the Philippine Infrastructure Development Corporation (PIDC)
for the maintenance and operation of the new segment of the expressway last
November 29.
“The TOP was issued after a joint inspection conducted by the DPWH, TRB
Technical Staff, and representatives of PIDC, who confirmed that the particular
portion of TPLEX is substantially complete and is safe to be operated
commercially,” the DOTr said in a statement Wednesday.
The DPWH and representatives from DOTr and PIDC opened the 10.10-km
TPLEX Segment 7, Section 3A-2 which stretches from Binalonan to Pozorrubio,
Pangasinan.
This is the second to the last portion of the TPLEX project that would
be constructed by PIDC. Segment 7, Section 3A-1 of TPLEX officially opened last
July 28, 2016
DPWH Secretary Mark Villar said in an earlier statement that the
additional 10 kilometer segment would ease traffic and significantly reduce
travel time from Tarlac to Pozorrubio from two and a half hours to just 45
minutes.
The completion of the new segment will make TPLEX a 78.39-km expressway
connecting provinces of Tarlac and Pangasinan.
Its last section, the 10.92-km Pozorrubio, Pangasinan to Rosario, La
Union segment is set for completion in June 2019.
Upon full completion, TPLEX would be able to reduce travel time from
Tarlac to Rosario, La Union from 3.5 hours to just an hour benefiting an
average of 20,000 vehicles per day. (PNA)
