After delays, construction of SLEX extension to Quezon finally begins

Aika Rey

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After delays, construction of SLEX extension to Quezon finally begins
The government says it will only take an hour to travel from Sto Tomas, Batangas, to Lucena City, Quezon, once the SLEX Toll Road 4 is completed

MANILA, Philippines – After various delays, the construction of the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) extension to Lucena City in Quezon officially started on Tuesday, March 26.

The SLEX Toll Road 4 (TR4), a 66.74-kilometer extension from Sto Tomas in Batangas to Lucena City, broke ground at least 7 times during the Arroyo and Aquino administrations but faced right-of-way acquisition issues.

“During rush hour, motorists have to endure a long 4-hour drive due to the lengthy and busy Daang Maharlika between Sto Tomas, Batangas, to Lucena City, Quezon. This will only take an hour once TR4 is completed,” Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said.

SLEX operator South Luzon Tollway Corporation (SLTC), a subsidiary of San Miguel Corporation (SMC), will implement the extension project.

The project is divided into 6 packages:

  • 11.32-kilometer Package A from Sto Tomas, Batangas, to Makban, Laguna
  • 12.75-kilometer Package B from Makban to San Pablo City, Laguna
  • 7.5-kilometer Package C from San Pablo City to Tiaong, Quezon
  • 15-kilometer Package D from Tiaong to Candelaria, Quezon
  • 10.21-kilometer Package E from Candelaria to Tayabas City, Quezon
  • 9.96-kilometer Package F from Tayabas City to Lucena City, Quezon

The 4-lane toll road will have 7 interchanges once completed:

  • Batangas: Sto Tomas
  • Laguna: Makban and San Pablo City 
  • Quezon: Tiaong, Candelaria, Tayabas City, Lucena City

SMC president Ramon Ang on Tuesday said he is “confident” that the P13.1-billion toll road will finally be completed in 2022.

“In 36 months, I am confident we will be back to inaugurate the finished expressway. Under the leadership of President [Rodrigo Duterte] and Secretary Villar, the TR4 project has become a reality,” Ang said.

TR4 is part of the 30-year concession agreement with SLTC, which will end in February 2036. – Rappler.com

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Aika Rey

Aika Rey is a business reporter for Rappler. She covered the Senate of the Philippines before fully diving into numbers and companies. Got tips? Find her on Twitter at @reyaika or shoot her an email at aika.rey@rappler.com.