MEGAWIDE Construction Corp. is set to begin the partial operation of the recently awarded contract to build the P1.87-billion Cavite Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, which will span from the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange to Trece Martires City via Imus, Cavite, by September.
Early this year, Megawide Construction Corp., together with Maplecrest Group Inc., received the notice of award from the Office of the Provincial Governor of Cavite for the construction, operation and maintenance of a BRT system.
Edgar Saavedra, Megawide president and chief executive officer, said last Friday the construction of the BRT project will start in the second quarter of the year.
Once operational, the BRT will reduce travel time by 50 to 60 percent.
According to Megawide, there will be a dedicated lane for the BRT and a point-to-point (P2P) service in different routes. The buses will run every 15 minutes to reduce travel time by at least 50 to 60 percent.
Megawide will operate and manage the Cavite BRT in partnership with the bus operators, he added.
Saavedra said the company expects the full operation of the BRT in 2028.
Megawide expects 10,000 daily passengers initially, building up to 50,000 passengers once fully operational.
“We will start small. It would take less 10,000 and then we hope to build it up to 50,000 daily in three years. It will depend also on the progress of Cavite,” Saavedra said.
The project involves the development, operation and maintenance of a BRT and P2P route spanning approximately 42 kilometers, data from the Public-Private Partnership Center show.
It will connect the cities and municipalities of Cavite — specifically Imus, General Trias, Tanza, Kawit, Trece Martires and surrounding areas — while providing a link to Metro Manila.
The project will have 37 bus sheds and three terminals design to accommodate a minimum of one bus at given time as well as a 24/7 CCTV system.
Phase 1 involves the operation and construction of two terminals with 27 stations and 26.5 km, while Phase 2 covers the construction of a third terminal with additional 20 stations.