S.Korean firm's Davao LRT proposal to cost P40B
October 22, 2015 at 12:34pm
The Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Board of the city government plans to endorse the project to the national government, according to an official of the Davao City Investment Promotion Center (DCIPC).
“The Davao City PPP Board resolved to endorse the project to the proper government agencies for appropriate action in their special meeting on Oct. 8 2015,” said DCIPC head Ivan C. Cortez.
Based on the project plan, about P30 billion of the budget will go towards building the 28-kilometer (km.) rail line while the remainder will be used to acquire land for the train stations and for contingencies.
The LRT system, which will traverse the city’s main streets and will be built on the center road islands, will link the Davao International Airport in the north to the Toril District in the south
An initial 36 trains are planned for use at the start of commercial operations by 2021 with an annual operating cost of about P880M.
The proposed fare is P15 for the first three km. and an additional 1.50 pesos per succeeding km.
Studies made by the proponent indicate peak passenger volume at 4,000 passengers per hour in 2021.
The daily passenger volume is projected at 92,000 in 2021 and increasing to 253,000 by 2040.
KEC spent $1 million for the project’s feasibility study, which started in October last year.
Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte has expressed support for the project and said it is crucial to immediately start building an efficient public transport system to address the projected demand in five years.
Mr. Cortez told BusinessWorld that the mayor “has chosen the project because it is very vital to the economic growth of the city.”
Mr. Duterte earlier acknowledged that the city is not yet ready for a more sophisticated and large-scale LRT or Metro Rail Transit system.
“We cannot afford the elevated trains, so I want the cheapest slightly elevated commuter train that the city can afford,” he said.
KEC is the same company that is also looking into building a bridge from the Island Garden City of Samal to either Davao City or the neighboring Panabo City.
The national government, through the National Economic and Development Authority Board-Infrastructure Committee, earlier earmarked P90 million for the feasibility study on the bridge.
Meanwhile, Mr. Cortez said the local PPP Board meeting also discussed a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system alongside the train system.
A study commissioned by the Asian Development Bank identified the BRT as one of the viable mass transport systems that could be adopted in Davao City.
Mr. Cortez said the LRT and BRT systems will be complementary in addressing the city’s transport requirements.
The ADB-commissioned Comprehensive Public Transport Reform Strategy for Davao City conducted in 2013 by consultancy firm Halcrow looked at four options: a conventional bus service, highly prioritized bus service (HPBS), BRT, and LRT.
Halcrow’s Geoff K. Key earlier said the best short-term option for Davao is HPBS given the existing infrastructure and public transport system.
HPBS refers to a scheme in which buses are given priority in the traffic signal system, with the aim of minimizing delay for mass transit vehicles.
The city currently has a total of 15,115 registered public utility vehicles (PUVs), majority of which at 13,985 ply city routes while only 1,130 cover regional routes.
Of the total number of PUVs, 7,278 are jeepneys, 3,602 are taxis and 2,105 are motorized tricycles.
Source: bworldonline.com
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