Train Construction Projects: Q4 2022 Updates

This year, many infrastructure projects geared towards transportation have begun their roadwork, mapping, and the early stages of its planning. These projects will ease the commute in the Metro and make the capital more accessible to those in Mega Manila. Because 2022 saw the rise of the new administration, there have also been significant updates regarding the construction of said projects as we inch closure to its foundation and completion.

That said, we’ll be looking at the updates to these transportation infrastructure projects for Q4 2022.

Train Construction Projects: Q4 2022 Updates

Before the year ends, let’s take a glimpse of some of the significant updates to transportation infrastructure projects such as the Metro Rail Transit Line 7, LRT-1 Cavite Extension, North-South Commuter Railway, and the Metro Manila Subway.

Metro Manila Subway

Excavation for the Metro Manila Subway tunnels will begin on December 2022. It will begin in Brgy Ugong, East Valenzuela, which is also pegged to serve as the railways’ depot. The excavation for the Valenzuela Station will run for a kilometer and a half to reach the subway’s next station on Quirino Highway.

As of writing, Japanese engineers who will work on the project said that it would take up to a year to complete the excavation from Valenzuela to Quirino Highway. The government hopes to use the subway line by 2028.

They also set three construction packages for the subway to be awarded next year. The contract packages (CP) will be up for signing within the second and third quarter of 2023.

The contract packages are:

• CP 105 – construction of two underground stations, the Kalayaan & BGC terminals, and tunnel works
• CP 108 – the building of the Lawton and Senate-Department of Education stations and tunnel works
• CP 109 – the construction of NAIA Terminal 3 and tunnel works

Earlier this month, they had already signed two other CPs at the Malacañang:

• CP 102 – the construction of the Quezon Avenue and East Avenue stations.
• CP 103 – covers the construction of the Anonas and Camp Aguinaldo stations.

The Metro Manila Subway will stretch from Valenzuela to Taguig City and NAIA Terminal 3. It will have 17 stations and will cut travel time from Quezon City to NAIA in just 35 minutes.

North-South Commuter Railway

The Department of Transportation has announced that the construction of the North-South Commuter Railway that will span 142 kilometers will begin construction in February 2023.

The pre-construction activities for the railway will begin in the latter part of 2022 and will go full scale by February 2023.

The North-South Commuter Railway will be the largest railway project undertaken in the Philippines. It’ll run from Pampanga’s Clark International Airport to Calamba, Laguna.

Upon completion, the North-South Commuter Railway will serve 350,000 passengers a day. It will have 36 stations. They will also integrate it into other railway lines, including the Metro Manila Subway, LRT Line 1, LRT Line 2, and the MRT Line 3.

LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project

Construction of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension is fast-taking shape to prepare for its expected start in September 2024. According to Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, the Department of Transportation is closely working with the Light Rail Manila Corporation to ensure that the extension will be operational, as scheduled.

Construction for the extension is already underway and has the following progress rates:

• Dr. Santos Station – 48.03%
• Ninoy Aquino Station – 34.06%
• Redemptorist Station – 30.17%
• Asia World Station – 37.12%
• MIA Station – 35.47%

Once fully operational, the LRT-1 Cavite Extension will connect Baclaran to Bacoor. It will have 8 stations that will serve 800,000 passengers daily, expected to cut travel time between Baclaran to Bacoor to just 25 minutes.

Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT-7)

In 2021, former President Rodrigo Duterte ensured that the Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT-7) will be partially operational by Q4 of 2022. By June 2022, the MRT-7 started construction on its train depot in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.

Recently, there have been talks that the MRT-7 is open to extending the construction of the project to two more municipalities in Bulacan.

Upon completion, the MRT-7 will run for 22-kilometers and will serve commuters from Quezon City to Bulacan. As of writing, the train will be fully operational by 2024 to 2025.

Sources:

• Fernandez, D. (2022, August 3). DOTr targets full MRT-7 operations by 2024-2025. INQUIRER.net. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1640140/dotr-targets-full-mrt-7-operations-by-2024-2025
• Mercurio, R. (2022, June 2). SMC starts work on MRT-7 train depot. Philstar.com. https://www.philstar.com/nation/2022/06/02/2185384/smc-starts-work-mrt-7-train-depot
• Porcalla, D. (2022, August 30). MRT-7 extension to 2 more Bulacan towns eyed. Philstar.com. https://www.philstar.com/nation/2022/08/30/2206001/mrt-7-extension-2-more-bulacan-towns-eyed
• Parrocha, A. (2021, December 16). MRT-7 partially operational by Q4 of 2022: PRRD. Www.pna.gov.ph. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1163000
• News, A.-C. (2022, November 17). Metro Manila Subway excavation to start in December. ABS-CBN News; ABS-CBN News. https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/11/17/22/metro-manila-subway-excavation-to-start-in-december
• Abadilla, E. (2022, November 4). DOTr: Manila Subway construction in full swing. Manila Bulletin. https://mb.com.ph/2022/11/04/dotr-manila-subway-construction-in-full-swing/
• Piad, T. J. (2022, November 19). 3 Metro Manila subway segment deals to be awarded next year. INQUIRER.net. https://business.inquirer.net/373645/3-metro-manila-subway-segment-deals-to-be-awarded-next-year
• Preston, R. (2022, October 17). Work starts next year on Philippines’ North-South Commuter Railway. International Railway Journal. https://www.railjournal.com/passenger/commuter-rail/work-starts-next-year-on-philippines-north-south-commuter-railway/
• Abadilla, E. (2022b, November 14). LRT-1 Cavite extension on track. Manila Bulletin. https://mb.com.ph/2022/11/14/lrt-1-cavite-extension-on-track/
• Rosales, E. F. (2022, November 15). On time delivery of LRT-1 Cavite project ensured. Philstar.com. https://www.philstar.com/nation/2022/11/15/2223860/time-delivery-lrt-1-cavite-project-ensured