SLEX TR4 Could Reduce Travel Time From Batangas to Quezon

PHOTO BY Wikimedia Commons

(SPOT.ph) The Philippines is well on its way to become the land of expressways. One project on the horizon is the South Luzon Expressway Toll Road 4 (SLEX TR4) that will extend the existing SLEX from Santo Tomas, Batangas to Lucena City, Quezon.

This 66.74-kilometer ongoing infrastructure project aims to significantly reduce travel times in the region from four hours to one hour as a faster alternative to the congested Daang Maharlika. Bilyonaryo reported that San Miguel Corporation (SMC) is spending P8 billion to fund TR4 this year.

SMC President Ramon Ang said SLEX TR4 is SMC’s second longest expressway project only next to the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX). Once completed, it will be a four-lane toll road with a total of seven interchanges in Santo Tomas, Batangas; Makban and San Pablo City in Laguna; Tiaong, Candelaria, Tayabas, and Lucena City in Quezon Province.

If everything goes to plan, the SLEX TR4 could be partially operational by 2025.

Timeline of SLEX TR4

The initial concept for SLEX TR4 was presented to the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) for evaluation and approval as early as 2012, but it wasn’t until March 26, 2019 when the project finally started construction.

The SLEX TR4 is part of the Philippine government’s broader “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program. Its construction is segmented into five parts, with an additional extension planned for Mayao in Lucena.

• Package A: Santo Tomas, Batangas to Makban, Laguna – 11.32 km
• Package B: Makban, Laguna to San Pablo, Laguna – 12.75 km
• Package C: San Pablo, Laguna to Tiaong, Quezon – 7.50 km
• Package D: Tiaong, Quezon to Candelaria, Quezon – 15.00 km
• Package E: Candelaria, Quezon to Tayabas, Quezon – 10.21 km
• Package F: Tabayas, Quezon to Barangay Mayao, Lucena, Quezon – 9.96 km

PHOTO BY Department of Public Works and Highways

The initial target completion date for the project was set for 2022, but it faced several challenges including pandemic restrictions and the need for right-of-way acquisition.