Expect your travels to the southernmost tip of Luzon to go by much faster in the very near future as the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has announced that it will begin construction of the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) extension road project this year.

Known as the Toll Road 4 (TR4), it is a four-lane toll road that will connect Sto. Tomas in Batangas up to Lucena City composed of five sections stretching 56.862 kilometers.

The phases include: Calamba to Makban, Laguna (11.32 kms); Makban to San Pablo, Laguna (12.12 kms); San Pablo to Tiaong, Quezon (7.50 kms); Tiaong to Candelaria, Quezon (15.00 kms) and Candelaria to Tayabas, Quezon (10.93 km).

According to DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, after completion of TR4, the usual five-hour trip time Manila to the city of Lucena will be cut down to just one hour.

This will not only save time for motorists and travelers, it will also facilitate the quicker movement of goods and services while also saving on fuel costs.

Better roads leading to the south of Luzon will also spark more economic activities not only in the Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon (CALABARZON) area but also the Bicol region and nearby provinces. Also in the pipeline is the construction of the Quezon province to Bicol expressway project.