LRT-1 private operator Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) is optimistic for the year 2022 as it welcomed the first quarter of the year with the successful completion of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension Phase 1 viaduct.
LRMC, together with Bouygues Travaux Publics as the Engineering Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contractor, started the civil works in September 2019 and installed pi-girders (chief horizontal support in a structure) covering the entire stretch of Dr. A. Santos Station until Redemptorist Station in Paranaque City. Now that the viaduct has been completed, electromechanical works (the laying of the rails and the installation of the electrical system) and the construction of the stations are set to begin.
“LRMC is glad to welcome 2022 with this LRT-1 Cavite Extension accomplishment. I am proud of the commitment and sacrifice of all our teams, who displayed resilience amidst unsettling conditions and the determination to deliver with excellence. With the support from our various partners in the public and private sectors, this project was able to achieve significant progress despite the limitations of the pandemic. Through our work in upgrading and extending the LRT-1 system, we hope to make a difference and improve the lives of future generations,” said LRMC President and CEO Juan F. Alfonso.
Since assuming LRT-1 operations in 2015, LRMC has already invested almost Php 25 Billion for the rehabilitation of the existing system and construction of the Cavite Extension. It has recently upgraded to a brand-new signalling system, which will facilitate the commercial use of its new 4th Generation train sets and the connection of LRT-1 existing line to the future system.
Phase 1 of the 11.7km LRT-1 Cavite Extension project covers a total of five (5) stations: Dr. A Santos, Ninoy Aquino, Asiaworld, MIA, and Redemptorist. Percentage completion rate for Phase 1 has already reached 67.5% as of end December 2021.
Civil works for the viaduct made use of a special engineering method, a first for the Philippines, which has allowed for faster execution causing minimal effect on the ground-level traffic. In September 2020, the first pi-girder was installed using the above-ground launcher. Since then, pi-girders continued to be installed every 1-2 days. A total of 203 pi-girders were installed using the above-ground launcher and on-ground equipment such as straddle carriers and cranes.
“The success we celebrate today is a shared success for us all and made possible because of the partnership of mutual respect we have developed with President Alfonso, his LRMC team and the wider stakeholder community. A partnership built with a common focus in mind and built on collaboration, transparency and trust and underpinned by a Bouygues commitment to always deliver work as planned, safely and to the highest industry standards. These are all values shared by the Bouygues and LRMC organizations,” shared by Bouygues Travaux Publics Philippines, Inc. Project Director Drasko Strika.
Bouygues Travaux Publics is a global player in construction operating in more than 80 countries from 5 continents, and an expert in large-scale projects involving tunnels, engineering structures, as well as road, port and rail infrastructures.
Once completed, the LRT-1 Cavite Extension project is expected to benefit the residents in Southern Metro Manila, the province of Cavite, and nearby areas. Future stations are also integrated and better connected with public transport terminals. Projected completion for Phase 1 is by late 2024 or early 2025.
