LRT 1 to open two new stations
MANILA, Philippines–The Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 will open two new stations next month, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) said Wednesday.
The extension, which will stretch from its north-end Monumento station, is part of the “closing the loop” project that aims to connect LRT Line 1 from Baclaran to Monumento, to the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) that runs along Edsa, Metro Manila’s major thoroughfare.
The project connecting Line 1 to the MRT that traverses Edsa from Pasay City to North Avenue in Quezon City, will involve an entirely elevated 5.4-kilometer viaduct and will feature three new stations: Balintawak, Roosevelt and North stations.
“We are targeting the end of February as the opening date of the Balintawak and Roosevelt stations of the north extension,” said LRT Authority (LRTA) Administrator Melquiades Robles.
DOTC Secretary Leandro Mendoza said all the civil works for the project pertaining to the construction of stations, platforms and railways, have already been completed.
The final stage of construction, which involves the laying down of all electrical systems, is also on track.
Listed as one of the Arroyo administration’s priorities, the government wants the project rolling in time for this year’s elections.
The latest government data showed that a total of 149.44 million passengers used Line 1 in 2009, beating the old record of 145.83 million passengers set in 1994.
“With this all-time high, the LRT has established itself as the alternative transportation in the metropolis for both the masses and the middle class who have learned to patronize the system. In fact, our ridership record remained high even during the times when fuel prices were low,” Robles said.
He added that street-level congestion, volatile fuel prices, increasing environmental awareness, the fielding of more trains, continuously improving services, and offering affordable fare
rates, all contributed to the increase in passengers.
