LINGAYEN, PANGASINAN—The groundbreaking of the Pangasinan Link Expressway (PLEx) Phase 1 will be held today, March 21, at Barangay Balligi, Laoac.
Spearheaded by Governor Ramon V. Guico III and Mr. Ramon S. Ang, President and Chief Executive Officer of San Miguel Corporation (SMC), the P34 billion project, which is a historic first in the province of Pangasinan, is part of the latter’s broader initiative to enhance the road networks in Central and Northern Luzon.
In this part of the province, PLEX is a realization of an ambitious dream of the governor to bolster the province’s economic and tourism growth and a “game changer” for Pangasinan.
It can be recalled that the joint venture and tollway concession agreements between the two parties were officially sealed on October 19, 2023.
The first phase of the 42.76-kilometer gigantic project will span from the town of Binalonan to the capital town of Lingayen.
Project segments include 6.9 kilometers (km.) from Binalonan to Manaoag; 11.3 km. From Manaoag to Calasiao; 2.39 km in the Calasiao area; and 22.7 km from Calasiao to Lingayen.
PLEX is a four-year public-private partnership initiative that is expected to change Pangasinan’s inland connectivity to facilitate faster movement of people, commodities, and services.
With its establishment, travel time from the town of Binalonan to Lingayen will be reduced from an hour and 40 minutes to only about 20 to 30 minutes.
In 35 years, PLEX will be owned by the province. (Ruby R. Bernardino/PIMRO)
