LRT-2 East Extension Project to ensure ease of travel in eastern MM

Travel time from Recto to Masinag is expected to be reduced by 40 minutes from the usual travel of three hours traversing the same route by bus or jeepney once the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 2 East Extension project is completed by the first quarter of 2019. (Photo: Light Rail Transit Authority – LRT2/Facebook)

MANILA—Travel time from Recto to Masinag is expected to be reduced by 40 minutes from the usual travel of three hours traversing the same route by bus or jeepney once the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 2 East Extension project is completed by the first quarter of 2019.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) led Tuesday the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Emerald and Masinag stations of the LRT-2 East Extension Project at the location of the proposed Masinag station in Brgy. Mayamot, Antipolo City.

DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade said the railway project will promote ease of travel for residents of eastern Metro Manila particularly in Pasig and Antipolo.

“It will be a timely addition to have both new stations in the LRT Line 2 as we acknowledge the need for greater accessibility of passengers coming from the eastern side of Metro Manila extending to key areas of Antipolo and its nearby cities,” the transportation secretary said.

The Emerald and Masinag stations are designed to accommodate 80,000 daily passengers adding to the current LRT 2 average daily ridership of 240,000.

“This increased capacity of 80,000 daily ridership of the rail line will not only provide a means to decongest our roads, but more importantly, offer better riding options to our daily commuters. As we improve the public’s general mobility, we also unburden them from traffic worries,” Tugade stated.

LRTA Administrator Reynaldo Berroya vowed to ensure that the LRT-2 East Extension Project will be completed with no further delays.

“The completion of the LRT Line 2 East Extension Project is part of the fulfillment of the government’s promise to ease traffic congestion by extending the service of the LRT Line 2 system to the eastern part of Metro Manila,” he said.

Representatives from the provincial government of Rizal and cities of Antipolo, Pasig and Marikina as well as officials of project contractor DM Consunji Inc. (DMCI) also attended the event.

The LRT-2 East Extension Project involves the construction of a 4.0 kilometer extension of the existing LRT-2 System from Santolan, Pasig City to Masinag in Antipolo. Rizal.

Two additional stations will be built namely, the Emerald station which will be located infront of Robinsons Metro East and Sta. Lucia in Cainta, Rizal and the Masinag station which will be located before the Masinag Junction in Antipolo City.

DMCI bagged the contract for the two stations which is set to start construction works on June 6, 2017 and targets completion in August 2018.