MRT-7 elevated turnback guideway to make room for walkways, bike lanes

San Miguel Corporation (SMC) said that it is working closely with the local government of Quezon City to make the MRT-7 a sustainable transport system.

MRT-7 elevated turnback guideway groundbreaking ceremony

The company intends to integrate pedestrian walkways and bicycle lanes to the MRT-7’s elevated turnback guideway, which broke ground last April 14, 2023. The said structure will be situated along West Avenue in Quezon City near the MRT-7’s North EDSA station.

The elevated turnback guideway will allow MRT-7 trains to loop around or revert directions upon terminating at the North Triangle Common Station on North Avenue.

Assistant Secretary for Railways Jorjette Aquino said that the elevated turnback guideway will allow MRT-7 trains to remain on schedule across the entire alignment from North Avenue to San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.

SMC wants to integrate wider pedestrian walkways and bike lanes

SMC shared that the one-kilometer portion of West Avenue will be redesigned to create wider pedestrian walkways and bicycle lanes at no cost to the local government. This move is seen to help improve access to MRT-7 as well as support the Quezon City government’s effort in promoting sustainable mobility.

“The construction of MRT-7’s turnback guideway at West Avenue presented an opportunity for us to help advance Mayor Joy Belmonte's push for more and better active transport infrastructure in the city. Once completed, the new configuration of the road will feature wider pedestrian walkways, and bike lanes that will benefit more people,” SMC President and CEO Ramon S. Ang said.

SMC added that once completed, the existing 2-meter-wide sidewalk will be widened up to 3.10 meters. A portion of which will be designated as a bike lane. The company also said that the project will include relocating electrical lamp posts, communication lines, drainage, water, and sanitary ducts, among others.

MRT-7 will have 14 stations

The MRT-7 project links North Avenue in Quezon City to San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan. It will also connect to the existing LRT-1 and MRT-3 railways. Once completed, the DOTr and SMC said that it is expected to accommodate over 800,000 passengers daily during the first year of operations.

It is set to have 14 stations including elevated and underground railways. The MRT-7 is said to reduce travel time from Quezon City to Bulacan from three hours to just 35 minutes.

The MRT-7 was initially scheduled to be operational by December 2022. However, the project is said to be encountering right-of-way issues, which led to the delay.

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