Navotas feeder BRT project enters right-of-way acquisition, financing talks

The Department of Transportation said its P1.8-billion Navotas feeder bus rapid transit project has entered the right-of-way acquisition stage, with financing arrangements under negotiation. The two-line system is expected to serve 12,674 passengers daily and connect to major rail networks.

The Department of Transportation (DoTr) said its P1.8-billion Navotas feeder line, a bus rapid transit (BRT) project connecting the fishing port to Monumento, has entered the right-of-way (RoW) acquisition stage, with financing arrangements also being negotiated.

“The Navotas feeder line project aims to improve mobility between Navotas and Monumento by providing a more reliable mass transit connection. This will help address existing transport gaps and improve access to major rail systems,” Undersecretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure Mark Steven C. Pastor said last week.

The line is expected to serve 12,674 passengers daily. “It has (hurdled) the feasibility study and detailed engineering design stage. Current efforts focus on coordination, right-of-way, and funding arrangement. The target is to move the implementation within the year,” he said.

The project consists of two lines, the DoTr said: a 4.79-kilometer feeder express and a 5.01-kilometer feeder loop. The Transportation department said the project will be linked to the Light Rail Transit Line 1, North-South Commuter Railway and the EDSA Busway.

The DoTr said it is also preparing the civil works and depot in parallel with the RoW and financing talks. Last month, the DoTr said it is seeking partnerships with the government of Australia and private companies for the transportation system which includes the Navotas feeder line project.

Systra Philippines, a unit of Sydney-based engineering and consulting firm Systra Group, carried out the project’s feasibility study in 2022 and won the contract in 2024.