Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark A. Villar on Friday, July 3, 2020 led the final inspection before the opening of the four-lane Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX) Pozorrubio, Pangasinan to Rosario, La Union section.
Secretary Villar, together with other DPWH officials and concessionare Private Infra Development Corporation (PDIC) drove the entire 88.85-kilometer stretch of the expressway from Tarlac City to check readiness for opening of the final section.
"By July 15, motorists will be able to experience what we have experienced today - driving from Tarlac all the way to La Union for only two (2) and a half hours, saving at least an hour of travel time," said Secretary Villar.
"This last 11-kilometer section will also further shorten travel time of motorists heading to other parts or Ilocos Region and the Cordilleras, especially Baguio City," added Secretary Villar.
With the completion of the last section, TPLEX now has nine (9) exit points namely: La Paz in Tarlac City, Victoria, Gerona, Paniqui and Moncada in Tarlac; Rosales, Urdaneta City and Pozzorrubio in Pangasinan, and Rosario in La Union.
TPLEX is a P24-Billion Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Project of the DPWH and San Miguel Corporation’s Private Infra Development Corporation and began construction in 2010.
The project was constructed as an alternative road and in parallel to MacArthur Highway going up north.