The Department of Transportation said Monday the construction of LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project is now more than halfway to completion.
The agency said the overall progress rate of the P64.9-billion LRT 1 Cavite Extension Project, funded by Light Rail Manila Corp., was 50.61 percent as of December 2020.
“The recent construction activities of this highly anticipated project features the bored piling, pier/portal column works, and the MIA station foundation works, altogether with the launching of PI girder which is the chief horizontal support in the structure made for turn back slots,” the DOTr said.
It said the accelerated pace of construction also included the expansion of the depot in Baclaran and the building of a new satellite depot at Zapote.
The 11.7-kilometer LRT-1 Cavite Extension project, which will extend LRT line 1 from Baclaran to Niog, Bacoor in Cavite, is expected to reduce travel time between Baclaran and Bacoor from 1 hour and 10 minutes to 25 minutes.
It is also projected to increase the line’s capacity to serve 500,000 to 800,000 passengers daily.
The agency said that with a mandate to fast track the construction of said project, the partial operation is expected by the end of 2021.
Phase 1 covers 7 km. of the 11-km. LRT-1 Cavite Extension, including the Redemptorist Station, MIA Station, Asiaworld Station, Ninoy Aquino Station and Dr. Santos Station.
The remaining stations between Las Piñas and Niog are scheduled to become fully-operational by 2022.
LRMC won the bidding for the 11.7-km. Cavite extension project and took over the operation of LRT Line 1 on Sept. 12, 2015.