LRT 1’s busy Edsa station gets a makeover

IMPROVED FACILITIES New ticket booths greet riders of the LRT Line 1 at its busy Edsa station which underwent renovations. —GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

The Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) has expanded the capacity of the Light Rail Transit Line 1’s Edsa station, one of its busiest, in preparation for the Cavite extension project.

LRMC chair Juan Alfonso, who led the ribbon-cutting ceremony earlier this week, said they also expanded the facility to accommodate more passengers.

The LRMC installed new ticket booths, toilets, LED lights, floor finishes and a ramp for persons with disabilities.

A new connecting bridge leading to the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3 Taft station was also built while the southeast leg of the station got a new fire exit and additional space with the demolition of old ticket booths.

Alfonso said the improvements and expansion were part of the ongoing modernization of the LRT 1, which was connected to the LRT Line 2 in the east and MRT 3 in the north-south corridor. It is also the busiest train line in the metropolis, servicing 500,000 commuters daily.

Extension project

The expanded facilities were also in anticipation of the upcoming LRT 1 P25-billion extension project, which would connect the Baclaran station to Bacoor, Cavite province.

Construction for the first phase would begin at the planned Dr. A. Santos Avenue station on C5 Extension in Parañaque City, snaking its way upward to the Redemptorist station in Baclaran.

This section, built on mostly government property and running parallel to Roxas Boulevard, is expected to be finished by 2021.