Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC), operator of Light Rail Transit (LRT) line 1, is speeding up the construction of the 11-kilometer railway extension to Cavite to meet the target of partial operation by end-2021 and full operation by 2022.
After 19 years of waiting, civil works for the LRT-1 Cavite extension have finally begun last September 1. It started with piling works that involve constructing supporting piers that will serve as the foundation for the elevated railway structures.
To speed up construction, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said piling works will be done simultaneously in up to five different areas where right of way (ROW) is made available.
In cooperation with LRMC, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and the Parañaque local government, the DOTr and Light Rail Transit Authority have been working to deliver the ROW needed to ensure continuous works along the alignment.
The project requires a total of 203 piers. Construction of the first 67 piers started on September 1 from Dr. Santos to Ninoy Aquino stations.
Construction of 40 piers from Ninoy Aquino to Asiaworld stations and 22 piers from Redemptorist station to the existing LRT-1 Baclaran station will begin in November 2019. The 74 piers from Asiaworld to Redemptorist stations will begin construction in March 2020.
Civil works along the Manila-Cavite expressway will begin soon, following coordination with its operator Cavitex Infrastructure Corp., the Philippine Reclamation Authority, the Toll Regulatory Board and some remaining property owners, such as Puregold and Aseana City.
The LRT-1 extension to Cavite’s partial operability is targeted to start in the fourth quarter of 2021 with five stations: Redemptorist, MIA, Asiaworld, Ninoy Aquino and Dr. Santos. The rest of the line to Niog in Bacoor, Cavite will be operational in 2022. The three other stations are Las Piñas, Zapote and Niog.
The new line will have a design speed of 80 km. per hour (kph) for the mainline track, 6 kph through stations and 30 kph for secondary and depot tracks. The commercial speed of the Cavite extension will be 60 kph.
