The Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) has performed ground-breaking rites for the pre-construction work involving the extension of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) from Parañaque City all the way to Cavite province.
The extension project, which broke ground on May 2, will connect the existing Line 1, which has 20 passenger stations spread out between Baclaran in Parañaque and Roosevelt in Quezon City, to an 11.7-kilometer alignment that will have eight passenger stations to be located in Parañaque City, Las Piñas City, and Cavite.
The project will have five new stations in Parañaque City—to be tagged Aseana, MIA, Asia World, Ninoy Aquino, and Dr. Santos Stations. Las Piñas City will have two—Las Piñas and Zapote Stations in Las Piñas City, while Cavite will have Niog Station in Bacoor.
LRMC president and chief executive officer Rogelio Singson said he is optimistic that the LRT-1 Cavite Extension, built for a train speed of up to 80 kilometers per hour and a commercial speed of 60 kilometers per hour, will significantly improve the commuting experience in Metro Manila.
“The Cavite Extension will serve an additional 300,000 commuters and will significantly reduce travel time from Bacoor, Cavite to Manila from about two hours to about 40 minutes,” Singson said in a statement.
For the increased convenience of commuters, the design of LRT-1 Cavite Extension was based on the basic objective of integrating the LRT-1 with other modes of transportation.
“We considered the accessibility of the new stations to shops, schools, and offices to better suit passenger flow from residential and commercial areas. LRMC envisions the eight new stations of the LRT-1 to foster a commute that is direct, smooth, and safe for all passengers,” Singson explained.
LRMC signed a concession agreement in October 2014 to operate and manage LRT Line 1 and construct the Cavite Extension. After taking over the line’s management September 2015, LRMC has already worked on the repair of light rail vehicles, bringing the total number of functioning vehicles to 100 in December 2016. Under LRMC management, too, LRT-1 is undergoing rail replacement of its 33-year-old tracks.
Most recently, the company launched the new Doroteo Jose station, which is the pilot station under LRMC’s station improvement project. The project involves structural upgrades and new facilities for the 20 existing LRT-1 stations. The second phase of the project is set to be unveiled in June 2017 and includes upgrades to the United Nations, Gil Puyat, Abad Santos, Pedro Gil, and R. Papa stations. The whole project is expected to be completed by the end of 2017.
