The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Friday bared starting the construction of an elevated turnback guideway along West Avenue in Quezon City, that puts the Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT-7) project one step closer to completion.
The DOTr, in partnership with the San Miguel Corporation and the Quezon City local government, broke ground for pre-construction works today, April 14.
DOTr assistant secretary for railways Jorjette B. Aquino said the turnback guideway will allow MRT-7 cars to revert direction upon terminating at the North Triangle Common Station in North Avenue.
“This portion of the alignment is critical to ensuring that train services would remain on schedule across the entire alignment from North Avenue to San Jose del Monte,” Aquino said.
The DOTr anticipates completing the MRT7 project by the second quarter of 2025.
Aquino commended the initiatives of the Quezon City LGU for redesigning West Avenue given the expanse of physical space needed for the pillars of the turnback guideway.
“This pre-construction works’ program will guarantee the least possible disruption in the travel experience of both pedestrians and road users along West Avenue while the MRT 7 infrastructure is in place,” she added.
With 14 stations, the MRT-7 will provide a smooth travel experience to an estimated 800,000 daily commuters from San Jose del Monte in Bulacan up to North Avenue in Quezon City, cutting down travel time from the usual 2 to 3 hours to onlyb 35 minutes.
“With the completion of other key railway projects such as the Metro Manila Subway, North South Commuter Railway, LRT 1 Cavite Extension, and the MRT-4, commuting between Quezon City and the rest of the Metro Manila, and even to and from the nearby provinces will be more comfortable, accessible, safe, sustainable, and affordable,” Aquino said.
“Let us all work toward sustaining the exponential resurgence of the Philippine railway industry as we move full speed ahead and endeavor to Build, Better, and More,” she added.
The MRT-7 project will have 14 stations, namely: Quezon North Avenue Joint Station; Quezon Memorial Circle; University Avenue; Tandang Sora; Don Antonio; Batasan; Manggahan; Dona Carmen; Regalado; Mindanao Avenue; Quirino; Sacred Heart; Tala; and San Jose del Monte.
It can accommodate 300,000 passengers on its first year of operations and to 850,000 passengers daily on its 12th year.
The MRT 7 Project is an integrated transit system undertaken and fully-funded by San Miguel Corporation under the build-gradual transfer-operate, maintain and manage (BGTOM) scheme spelled out by the larger build-operate-transfer or BOT Law.
The project agreement was signed on 18 June 2008 between the DOTr and its private sector partner, Universal LRT Corporation (BVI) Limited, which was partially acquired by San Miguel in 2010. Full ownership took place in 2016. Construction of MRT 7 by San Miguel started in August that same year.
