MMDA, metro mayors OK LRT 1, 2 extensions

MANILA, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and various mayors of Metro Manila through the Metro Manila Council (MMC) have approved plans by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) to extend the Light Rail Transit (LRT) 1 and LRT 2 lines.

The extension plans were approved in Monday's meeting of the MMC serving as the Regional Development Council (RDC) at the Makati City Hall.

The DOTC said that although the LRT Line 1 (which runs from Baclaran to the Roosevelt Station in Quezon City) is physically connected with the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) line, operationally it is not.

The DOTC said the two lines are 1.2 kilometers apart and must be connected by building a common station near the Trinoma shopping mall.

The proposed 6,098 square meter common station would cost P1.39 billion. Construction starts in the third quarter of 2015 and is expected to be finished by the third quarter of 2016.

The DOTC said that once completed, the common station could serve at least 69,750 passengers per day. The DOTC added that passengers could transfer from an LRT 1 train to an MRT 3 train in just about a minute using the common station.

Meanwhile, the MMDA and the MMC also approved the DOTC's plan to extend the existing LRT Line 2 by 4.19 kilometers eastward from the Santolan Station at Marcos Highway to the intersection of Marcos Highway and Sumulong Highway.

With the line extension, the LRT 2 line will have two new stations. One station would be located infront of the Robinson's Place Metro East Mall in Cainta, Rizal. The other new station would be located at the Masinag Junction in Antipolo City.

The LRT 2 line extension would cost about P9.5 million to build and is slated to be finished by 2016. It is projected to serve at least 526,400 passengers per week by 2045.