NEWS

By Lorenz S. Marasigan

RAILWAY operator Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) will start the piling works for the extension of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 to Cavite next month, after finishing the geotechnical investigation works, and the substructure and foundation designs.

Reynaldo Pangilinan, the execution manager for the Cavite Extension initiative, said the geotesting results showed that the company can safely start working on the foundation of the facility. Civil works will thus commence on September 1.

“It confirms the physical properties and condition of the soil on which the foundations of the Cavite Extension will be installed. Information gathered will then be used to design the necessary foundations for the project,” he said.

He added that the right of way for the first alignment of the extension program—Dr. Santos Avenue Station to Baclaran Station—has been cleared.

“Our teams are committed to complete this project which will extend the LRT 1 system to the residents in Parañaque, Las Piñas and Bacoor,” Pangilinan said.

Targeted for completion in about four years after the delivery of easement, the 11.7-kilometer Cavite extension will connect into the existing system immediately south of the Baclaran Station and run in a generally southerly direction to Niog, Cavite.

The extension will create eight additional stations, namely: Redemptorist, MIA, Asiaworld, Ninoy Aquino and Dr. Santos stations in Parañaque City; Las Piñas and Zapote Stations in Las Piñas City; and, Niog Station in Bacoor, Cavite City.

After the extension, the oldest overhead railway facility in Southeast Asia will have a design speed of 80 kilometers per hour for its mainline; 60 kph through stations; and 30 kph for secondary and depot tracks. Its commercial speed is set for 60 kph.

LRMC is a company led by conglomerates Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and Ayala Corp. in partnership with Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) Pte. Ltd.

Source: Business Mirror