Construction of LRT1 Cavite extension's foundation begins

Light Rail Manila Corporation starts piling works at the planned Dr Santos Station in Parañaque City as September 2019 begins

Piling works or the construction of supporting piers for the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT1) Cavite extension are underway.

In a statement on Monday, September 2, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) started piling works at the planned Dr Santos Station in Parañaque City on Sunday, September 1.

The supporting piers "will serve as the foundation for the elevated railway structures," said the DOTr.

Dr Santos Station is part of the 7-kilometer Phase 1 of the 11-kilometer LRT1 Cavite extension. Phase 1 includes 5 stations out of the total 8:

• Redemptorist Station
• MIA Station
• Asiaworld Station (to be built right beside the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange and eventually connected to the planned Metro Manila Subway, forming the Parañaque Common Station)
• Ninoy Aquino Station
• Dr Santos Station

"These are stations where ROW (right of way) is already free and clear," said the DOTr.

Phase 1 will require a total of 203 piers:

• 67 piers - Dr Santos Station to Ninoy Aquino Station (construction began September 1)
• 40 piers - Ninoy Aquino Station to Asiaworld Station (construction will begin in November 2019)
• 22 piers - Redemptorist Station to the existing LRT 1 Baclaran Station (construction will begin in November 2019)
• 74 piers - Asiaworld Station to Redemptorist Station (construction will begin in March 2020)

The remaining 3 stations of the LRT1 Cavite extension are:

• Las Piñas Station
• Zapote Station
• Niog Station

The government aims for Phase 1 to begin operations in the 4th quarter of 2021. Full operations all the way to Niog in Bacoor City, Cavite, are being targeted for 2022.

The railway extension project had repeatedly been delayed as it faced right-of-way issues. Back in May, the DOTr said construction was "full steam ahead."

There are remaining right-of-way obstructions, including traffic lights, plant boxes, drainage lines, and utility lines.

The DOTr said on Monday that it is working with the Light Rail Transit Authority, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Parañaque City government, and LRMC to address right-of-way concerns.

The railway extension is expected to cut travel time between Baclaran and Bacoor City to 25 minutes, from 1 to 2 hours. The LRT1's ridership is also seen to increase from 500,000 to 800,000 per day.

LRMC took over the operations, maintenance, and extension of the LRT1 in September 2015, after bagging the P64.9-billion ($1.25-billion) LRT1 Cavite extension deal.

LRMC is a consortium of Ayala Corporation, Metro Pacific Investments Corporation, and the Macquarie Group.

https://www.rappler.com/business/239111-lrt1-cavite-extension-piling-works-begin-september-2019

LRMC starts constructing P64.9-B LRT1 Cavite extension

Piling works for the construction of supporting piers for the P64.9-billion Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT1) Cavite extension has started, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said Monday.

It started on Sunday, September 1, some five years after the project was awarded to LRMC.

“Following completion of ground investigation and foundation design works, the Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) has started piling works from Dr. Santos Station in Parañaque, where right-of-way has been cleared,” the department said.

“Piling works involve the construction of supporting piers that will serve as the foundation for the elevated railway structures,” it said.

The group of Ayala Corporation, Metro Pacific Light Rail Corporation, and Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings, bagged the contract for the project in 2014.

LRMC, however, took over the operations and maintenance of the LRT1 rail system only in September 2015.

As the government’s private partner, LRMC is responsible for the design, construction, and financing of the Cavite extension, as well as the operation and maintenance of the mass rail system once the project is complete.

The piling works involves the construction of the first 67 piers from Dr. Santos Station to the Ninoy Aquino Station in Parañaque City.

The extension project will also require 47 piers from the Ninoy Aquino Station to Asiaworld Station, 22 from Redemptorist Station to the existing LRT1 Baclaran Station, and 74 piers from Asiaworld Station to Redemptorist Station.

The LRT1 extension is expected to be partially operating in the fourth quarter of 2021.

The project is expected to increase LRT1’s ridership from 500,000 to 800,000 daily, and reduce the travel time between Baclaran and Bacoor, Cavite to 25 minutes from one to two hours at present. —Jon Viktor Cabuenas/VDS, GMA News

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/companies/706597/lrmc-starts-constructing-fpr-p64-9-b-lrt1-cavite-extension/story/

Piling works for LRT-1 Cavite Extension begin

After 19 years of waiting, piling works for the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 Cavite Extension have finally started on September 1.

Following completion of ground investigation and foundation design works, the Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) has started piling works from Dr. Santos Station in Parañaque, where right-of-way (ROW) has been cleared.

Piling works involve the construction of supporting piers that will serve as the foundation for the elevated railway structures.

Phase 1 covers seven kilometers of the 11-kilometer LRT-1 Cavite Extension, including the Redemptorist Station, MIA Station, Asiaworld Station, Ninoy Aquino Station, and Dr. Santos Station.

Asiaworld Station will be located parallel to and right beside the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX), and will eventually be connected to the Metro Manila Subway, forming the Parañaque Common Station. These are stations where ROW is already free and clear.

Requiring a total of 203 piers, construction of the first 67 piers started on Sept. 1 from Dr. Santos Station to Ninoy Aquino Station. Forty piers from Ninoy Aquino Station to Asiaworld Station and 22 piers from Redemptorist Station to the existing LRT-1 Baclaran Station will begin construction in November 2019, while 74 piers from Asiaworld Station to Redemptorist Station will begin construction in March 2020.

To speed up construction, piling works will be done simultaneously in up to five different areas where ROW is made available.

In cooperation with LRMC, Metro Manila Development Authority, and Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez, the DOTr and the Light Rail Transit Authority have been working hand-in-hand to deliver the ROW needed to ensure continuous works along the alignment.

Remaining ROW obstructions to be cleared under Package 1 include auxiliary facilities that will be cleared with the assistance of Parañaque City (e.g., traffic lights, plant boxes, and drainage lines), as well as utility lines of Meralco, Maynilad, PLDT, Globe, Eastern Telecommunications, SkyCable, Radius Telecoms, and Cablelink.

Works along the Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway will begin soon, following productive coordination with its operator, the Cavitex Infrastructure Corporation, the Philippine Reclamation Authority, the Toll Regulatory Board, and some remaining property owners, such as Puregold and Aseana City.

The partial operability section of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project is targeted to start operations in the fourth quarter of 2021, with measures being taken for the rest of the line to Niog, Bacoor being operational in 2022.

The project is expected to increase LRT-1's ridership from 500,000 to 800,000 per day, and reduce travel time between Baclaran and Bacoor, Cavite from one to two hours to only 25 minutes.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1079277