DAVAO CITY, Davao
— If everything pans out between the LGU here and a Korean construction firm, then Davao City will have its own light rail transit or LRT.
A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed the other day between Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and the officers of the Korea Engineering and Construction (KEC) headed by Professor Chae Il Kwon, Chief Researcher of the Transportation Study Group of Seoul National University, indicated the commencement of a feasibility study for the construction of the Davao Light Rail Transit (LRT) project.
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| Davao LRT Agreement - Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte (seated, right) prepares to sign last Monday the memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Korean Engineering and Construction (KEC). |
Duterte pointed out that aside from the total cost, the study will focus on how to “lessen the pollution and gas emission and if the project could be of use to the community” in Davao City.
In their presentation, KEC said the forecasted increase in traffic activities in Davao City will result in traffic congestion, with the transportation activities — particularly disembarking and embarking of passengers — having a constant growth rate of 2.88 percent from 2007 to 2011.
In 2011, KEC said about 25,384,389 disembarking and 24,430,906 embarking were recorded for the year, totalling 49,815,295 passengers.
With the 2.88 percent growth rate per year, KEC said Davao City will need a transportation system that is efficient, environment-friendly and one that can accommodate the increasing number of passengers.
The Korean firm added that it will consider the 2013-2020 Zoning Ordinance of the city in their conduct of the feasibility study.
Two LRT routes were presented by KEC, specifically from the Davao Gulf ad Country Club to the Francisco Bangoy International Airport. Both routes will pass through different proposed stations, with the first one having a length of 13 kilometers while the second being 17 kilometers.
On his end, Duterte said he will be sending engineers from the city government and the private sector to Korea to study their LRT systems and to familiarize on the construction and operating procedures. The city constituents won’t be left out as well, adding that consultations with them will be conducted to get their sentiments on the project.
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| Signing of MOA for Davao LRT - Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte together with the City Councilors and the KEC Representative. |
