The Light Rail Manila Corp. said Friday the LRT-1 Cavite Extension phase 1 is on schedule to open by the fourth quarter of 2024.
The company said the construction of phase 1 was progressing as scheduled, with 98.2-percent completion rate as of end-April 2024. It will add 6.2 kilometers to the existing LRT-1 line from Baclaran Station in Pasay City to Dr. Santos Station in Paranaque City, improving the connectivity of southern Metro Manila.
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said the railway project remained on track for its target commercial opening in the fourth quarter.
Finance Secretary Ralph Recto said the project represents a dramatic shift in transit-oriented development and will act as a catalyst for economic activity. It also includes the procurement of 30 four-car fourth-generation light rail vehicles to be operated across the entire LRT-1 alignment.
The extension project, with a total project cost of P64.915 billion, is being financed through a hybrid model consisting of P17.80 billion in official development assistance (ODA) from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA); P39.57 billion from LRMC; and P7.55 billion from the government.
The five new stations under phase 1 are at various stages of completion with Redemptorist Station registering 97.4 percent; MIA Station, 97.2 percent; Asia World Station, 90.4 percent; Ninoy Aquino Station, 93.5 percent; and Dr. Santos Station, 97.7 percent.
All five stations boast of an inclusive design, featuring two elevators per station for easy access for passengers with disabilities (PWDs). Escalators will serve both northbound and southbound passengers, ensuring a smooth flow of traffic.
LRT-1 Dr. Santos Station, the end terminal for Phase 1, will serve as a major transit hub. Passengers will have seamless access to various modes of transportation through the intermodal facility.
The intermodal facility has a vast 10,740-square-meter lot area strategically located with access to and from Dr. A. Santos Ave. and C5 Road Extension. It will have designated bays for public buses, jeepneys, taxis, private cars, motorcycles and dedicated parking slots for PWDs.
“The nearing completion of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension Phase 1 is a testament to the government and private sector’s commitment to improving public transportation in the country. An excellence showcase of how public private partnership works, this project underscores LRMC’s commitment to providing a safe, convenient, and passenger-centric commuting experience for everyone,” LRMC general manager Enrico Benipayo said.
The project consists of three packages and is expected to add about 300,000 passengers to the daily LRT-1 ridership, bringing the total to 800,000, in the first year of full operations in 2031, according to LRMC.
It will connect Manila to Cavite, reducing travel time from Baclaran, Pasay to Niog, Cavite from 1 hour and 10 minutes via local roads to 25 minutes via train.
Package 1 of the project involves the construction of the first five stations, while packages 2 and 3 of the project, consisting of Las Piñas, Zapote and Niog stations, are set to commence construction soon.
