NEDA Board approves 37-B Metro Manila Bus Rapid Transit project

(Image grabbed from Rappler)

In its first meeting under the administration of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board has confirmed approvals of nine projects, amounting to an estimated total cost of P171.14 billion, on September 14 (Wednesday).

“Once implemented and completed, these approved projects will help attain our medium- and long-term development goals of making the agricultural sector competitive, improving mobility by making our transport system safer and more efficient, increasing disaster resiliency, and improving health services,” said Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia.

Included in the approved nine projects is the Metro Manila Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) – EDSA of the Department of Transportation (DOTr). The project aims to provide alternative mass transit in Metro Manila by establishing a BRT System within an EDSA route of 48.6 kilometers covering Monumento up to Diosdado Macapagal Avenue/Roxas Boulevard, with integrated routes between the Ortigas Business District, Bonifacio Global City, and the Makati Business District. The BRT is also planned to link with the NAIA terminals and include off-corridors to the target Integrated Transport System terminals in the north, south and southwest of Metro Manila, and in the vicinity of SM Fairview in Quezon City. It involves the construction of dedicated lanes with busways, depots, and as much as 63 stations/terminals. These lanes include one lane per direction between stations, and two lanes per direction at stations. The project will also procure high-quality and high-capacity buses, install smart signaling system at intersections and central control system, and provide contactless automatic fare collection system.

The project’s total estimated cost is P37.8 billion with an implementation period of within three years (2017-2019).  The project is expected to be operational in 2020.

Source: neda.gov.ph