The Department of Transportation (DOTr) expressed optimism about the launching the country’s first cable car system, the Antipolo Cable Car Project, by 2028.
DOTr Undersecretary for planning and project development Timothy John Batan said the project would connect the Taytay station of Metro Rail Transit Line-4 to Antipolo.
“We know that Antipolo is very dense, and has lots of residents and economic activity, so it will be complementary to connect MRT-4 to Antipolo City,” Batan said.
The Asian Development Bank funded the cable car project’s pre-feasibility study which was finished early this year.
“The project appears viable. The next step is the detailed feasibility study which the ADB is also financing,” Batan said.
The detailed feasibility study, which would determine the project cost and its passenger capacity, is expected to commence in 2025, while the project bidding will likely take place in 2026.
“It’s our first cable car project. We were told that it will take up to two years of construction. If we are able to award the contract in 2026, it is possible to [be operational] in 2028,” Batan said.
The government is seeking a $1-billion loan from the ADB to finance the planned MRT-4 that would run from San Juan City to Taytay in Rizal province.
The 15.56-kilometer MRT 4, with 11 stations, two other provisional stations in the future and a barrier-free design to allow inclusive access, is expected to address the transport bottleneck along Ortigas Ave.
The P59.3-billion MRT-4 trains could run 80 kilometers per hour at maximum speed and a commercial speed of 25 kilometers to 40 kilometers an hour, once fully operational by 2028.
The railway will cut across the cities of Mandaluyong, San Juan, Quezon, Pasig and the municipalities of Cainta and Taytay in Rizal, addressing the massive traffic problem and limited road capacities in the densely populated areas of eastern Metro Manila.
It is expected to serve 4,464 passengers at peak and 2,678 passengers an hour off-peak with an estimated travel time of 27 minutes from N. Domingo in San Juan to Taytay, Rizal. The daily ridership is expected to reach 328,804 by 2030.
