MANILA, Philippines - Motorists having to endure the heavy gridlock during rush hour or as a result of accidents at the national road in Turbina, Calamba, which is the main thoroughfare going south to Batangas and Bicol region will soon get a much needed relief with the opening of the extension of the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX).
The 7.6 kilometer extension is nearing completion and will open ahead of its September initial target completion. The extension is built on a new roadway. Once finished it will connect SLEX to the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR) in Sto. Tomas, Batangas providing motorist with faster travel to Batangas and avoiding the daily congestion in the Calamba-Sto. Tomas national road.
The extension is part of the massive rehabilitation and upgrading of SLEX being carried out by the South Luzon Tollway Corporation (SLTC), a member of MTD Group of Malaysia. Once SLTC finishes the rehabilitation of the expressway, the Philippine National Construction Corp., current operator of SLEX, will turn over the operations and maintenance to the Manila Toll Expressways System (MATES).