Southern Tagalog Arterial Road

Infobox road


highway_name = Southern Tagalog Arterial Road / STAR Tollway
alternate_name = Apolinario Mabini Superhighway
length_km = 41.9
length_round = 1
junction = Laurel Highway in Lipa City
direction = North/South
starting_terminus= Maharlika Highway in Santo Tomas, Batangas
ending_terminus = Diversion Road in Batangas City

The Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (also known as the STAR Tollway or CALABARZON Expressway as townsfolk call the tollway) is a four-lane 42 km expressway in the Philippines. Operated by STAR Infrastructure Development Corporation (STAR - IDC), it runs from Santo Tomas to Batangas City, both within the province of Batangas.

The expressway starts at the intersection with the Maharlika Highway or formerly known as the Manila South Road (MSR) in Santo Tomas and runs southward, near Diversion Road, Batangas City. It passes through areas under the jurisdiction of the Municipality of Malvar and Tanauan City, Lipa City, Ibaan, Batangas City, and Bauan.

History

In an effort to link the different Southern Tagalog Provinces to the National Capital Region, the government with the cooperation of the Provincial Government of Batangas and with the technical and country developmental assistance of the Government of Japan thru the Japan Official Development Assistance, made the STAR Tollway Project a reality.

The STAR Tollway I, from Santo Tomas to Lipa City, was opened in 2001 and STAR Tollway II, from Lipa City to the Batangas City Port, opened in 2008, is fully operational for all motorists, currently only the southbound part of the Lipa-Batangas road has been constructed. It was opened as part of the Road Development Project of the government, linking the South Luzon Expressway to STAR Tollway onwards to the Batangas Port in Batangas City.

The STAR Tollway Project I and II was funded by Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways - Urban Roads Project Office (DPWH - URPO).

The STAR Tollway is now under the supervision of the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) and it will be operated by the South Luzon Expressway as the SLEX Upgrading and Expansion Project is fully completed by 2009.

TAR Tollway's name and origin

On February 9 2004, the Third (3rd) District Representative of Batangas of the House of the Representatives, authored the House Bill 2753, or also known as the "Act of Renaming the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR) to Apolinario Mabini Superhighway (AMS)". On May 15, 2007, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed and approved House Bill 2753 to rename the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road to Apolinario Mabini Superhighway, and it was made into a law, now called the Republic Act 9462 (RA 9462). [ [http://www.congress.gov.ph/bis/hist_show.php?save=0&journal=&switch=0&bill_no=HB02753&congress=13 BIS Online Query ] ]

Technical Specifications

* Name: Southern Tagalog Arterial Road
* Concession Holder: STAR Infrastructure Development Corporation
* Operator: STAR Infrastructure Development Corporation (Manila Toll Expressway Systems, Incorporated (MTESI) will be the operator of the expressway after parent company, South Luzon Tollway Corporation, takeovers the operation and management from the present operator)
* Length: 41.90 km
* Concession starting date: 2001
* Concession ending date: (2029)
* Highway exits: 6
* Toll plazas: 8
* Rest and Service Areas: 1
* Minimum Height Clearance on Underpasses: 4.27m (14')

Tolls

STAR Tollway Exits

See also

* South Luzon Expressway
* Batangas
* Transportation in the Philippines
* Department of Public Works and Highways (Philippines)
* Philippine National Construction Corporation

References

* [http://www.congress.gov.ph House of Representatives - Republic of the Philippines]
* [http://www.congress.gov.ph/bis/hist_show.php?save=0&journal=&switch=0&bill_no=HB02753&congress=13 House of Representatives - Bill Inquiry System]
* [http://www.dccd.com/projects_transportation.php Projects: TRANSPORTATION]
* [http://www.mapcentral.ph/mapcentral/index.cfm?event=MapHome mapCentral - Interactive Philippine map]