LRT 1 Cavite extension project finally starts

DELAYED Piling works have begun for the LRT 1 Cavite Extension Project . Around 67 piers are being constructed at Dr. Santos Station in Parañaque City. —PHOTOS COURTESY OF DOTR

MANILA, Philippines — After 19 years, the piling works for the Light Rail Transit (LRT) 1 Cavite Extension Project have finally started after successfully clearing the right-of-way (ROW) problems that marred the project in Parañaque City, according to the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

Link Pasay to Cavite

This signals new movement in the upcoming transit line, whose delayed implementation was brought up during a Senate inquiry in August amid the bungled, disjointed traffic measures implemented by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.

The extended rail line will link Pasay City to Cavite and reduce travel time from 2 hours to only 25 minutes and is seen as a crucial node in rationalizing routes to and from the south, especially after the completion of the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange.

The piling works involve the construction of the supporting piers for the elevated railway structures which will start at Dr. Santos Station in Parañaque, the DOTr said.

Sixty-seven piers from Dr. Santos to Ninoy Aquino station already begun construction since Sept. 1, and will be followed by 40 piers to AsiaWorld and 22 piers from Redemptorist Road to the existing LRT 1 Baclaran station.

Construction of the 74 piers from AsiaWorld to Redemptorist, meanwhile, will start on March 2020.

Together these five stations make up the first phase of the project which is expected to operate partially by 2021. The rest of the line to Niog, Bacoor, is expected to be up and running by 2022.

Simultaneous piling

To speed up construction, the DOTr said it would conduct piling works simultaneously in areas where ROW has already been cleared.

Remaining ROW obstructions under Package 1 include auxiliary facilities (traffic lights, plant boxes, drainage lines) that would be cleared with the help of the local government of Parañaque.

Last month, Transport Undersecretary for Roads Mark de Leon told senators that the LRT 1 Cavite Extension project was delayed because of ROW issues.