The Department of Transportation is targeting the partial opening of the South Luzon Expressway Toll Road 4 before the end of 2026, a major expansion expected to sharply reduce travel time for motorists heading into Quezon. The first operational section could cut the trip along the affected Batangas-Quezon corridor from roughly two hours to about 30 minutes.
Transportation Secretary Giovanni “Banoy” Lopez said Packages A, B and C are being prepared for opening around November or December. Together, the first three packages cover about 31.6 kilometers and will extend the expressway from Sto. Tomas, Batangas to Tiaong, Quezon.
“Our target is around November or December for the start of TR4 operations,” Lopez said.
The entire SLEX TR4 will span 66.74 kilometers from Sto. Tomas to Lucena City, according to SMC Infrastructure. The project is part of San Miguel Corporation’s southern tollway network and is designed to extend the existing SLEX deeper into Quezon.
The partial opening would give southbound motorists an expressway alternative to sections of the existing highway network where local traffic, buses, trucks, intersections and roadside commercial activity can contribute to lengthy travel times. Around 17,000 vehicles a day are projected to use the initial TR4 section.
The new connection is also expected to improve the movement of passengers and goods between Batangas and Quezon by providing a controlled-access route for motorists, provincial buses and freight traffic traveling through Southern Luzon.
