MRT Line 4 (Metro Manila)

Ortigas Avenue in 2021.

The first project dubbed the "MRT Line 4" was proposed in 1999 as a line between Recto Avenue, Manila and Batasan Hills, Quezon City. In the late 2010s, the proposed line was renumbered as the MRT Line 8 and the Quezon Memorial Circle–Batasan Hills segment became the MRT Line 7. Meanwhile, the right-of-way for the present Line 4 can be traced to the southeast extension of the LRT Line 2, which would either be an automated guideway transit (AGT) or heavy rail line in the same fashion as the Line 2, as well as a bus rapid transit collector line towards the town of Binangonan in Rizal. However, this would utilize the Shaw Boulevard alignment due to developmental conditions at the time.[15]

As of 2021, the Ortigas Avenue corridor has an annual average daily traffic of 185,699 vehicles. However, only 9.07 percent of daily traffic comes from public utility vehicles including taxis. An average commute from Tikling in Taytay, Rizal to Ortigas CBD in Pasig City can take up to 3 hours during rush hour. This is the primary motivation to build a rail line in the vicinity to improve journey times between the two areas.[1]

A new LRT Line 4 project,[4] was approved by the Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) of the National Economic and Development Authority in June 2015 as a public–private partnership project,[16] with construction slated to begin in 2017 and a targeted opening date in 2021.[4] However, the initial project was not pushed through until it was approved for a second time on December 20, 2019.[9][17]

The contract for the architectural and engineering design of the project was signed by the Department of Transportation and Spanish design consultant IDOM Consulting Engineering, Architecture, SA on October 1, 2021.[18] Meanwhile, on March 30, 2023, the contract for the consultancy services for the operations and maintenance of the line was signed by DOTr and Australia-based Ricardo Rail.[19]

On October 12, 2022, the Department of Transportation confirmed that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will extend a loan of US$1 billion for the project, with the signing of the loan expected to take place in 2023.[2]

Pre-construction activities such as soil testing have already begun in some areas along Ortigas Avenue.[20] Actual construction is expected to begin by the second quarter of 2024 and to be completed by 2027. Full operations shall begin by 2028.[1]

There are five main components in the project. This includes one each for the mainline, station buildings, depot, electromechanical systems and rolling stock.[1]

The line is a component of the Manila East Rail Transit Project proposed by the Japanese government in February 2015 which aims to provide a medium-capacity rail transport system connecting central and eastern Metro Manila with the province of Rizal.[12] Its proposed alignment is along Ortigas Avenue with an option to extend the line to as far east as the Rizal municipality of Angono on the Manila East Road, and west to either of the following terminals:

• Option 1: interchange with Santa Mesa station (PNR Metro South Commuter Line) via ADB Avenue, Sheridan Street, Pioneer Street, Boni Avenue, Aglipay Street and Lubiran Street.
• Option 2: interchange with V. Mapa station (LRT Line 2) via ADB Avenue, Shaw Boulevard, P. Sanchez Street and V. Mapa Street.
• Option 3: interchange with Gilmore station (LRT Line 2) via a straight path following Ortigas Avenue and Gilmore Avenue in San Juan and its western extension Granada Street in Quezon City.

Option 2 was the chosen alignment of the study owing to its capability to serve the most demand that can alleviate traffic the most on the Taytay-Cainta-Pasig-Mandaluyong-Manila corridor. Construction did not push through despite receiving approval by President Benigno Aquino III last September 2015.[21]

The stations are divided into two types: the narrow-width and the standard-width stations. For both types, the platform length is consistently 120 meters (390 ft) long. These will also have three levels with one each for ground access, concourse and platforms to be built on top of center islands. The narrow width stations are 17 meters (56 ft) wide and instead of having its own ground level entries, it will utilize neighboring commercial structures to access the concourse. The standard-width types are 28 meters (92 ft) wide and will have its own dedicated ground-level entrance.[1]

EDSA station will have its own design, being 150 meters (492 ft 2 in) long and will have 2 different concourses.

The line will initially use 5-car electric multiple unit trains. The stations are also designed for an expansion to 6 cars. The car length for each train is 20 meters (65 ft 7 in) including couplers, which would mean a total length of 100 meters (328 ft 1 in) for the initial 5-car trains and 120 meters (393 ft 8 in) for the 6-car trains. A 5-car train is capable of carrying 1,000 passengers. To achieve the 4-minute headway target, up to 35 trainsets shall be ordered which corresponds to the number of rolling stock operators in the operations stage.[1] The trains will also be 2.8 meters (9 ft 2 in) wide.

The electrification system will be at 1,500 volts DC using overhead lines as with the LRT Line 2 and the North–South Commuter Railway.

The Project Description for Scoping (PDS) report recommends the construction of the depot at the former Excelsior Villas site in Taytay, Rizal. It is located at the Rizal end of the line near the municipal hall. Other options include a vacant lot beside SM Taytay and at the Comeco compound in Pasig. The other two sites were put as secondary alternative locations to the Excelsior site as these require additional land acquisition. The Comeco location would also need a significant realignment in the right-of-way.[1]

The depot is expected to have a 24-hour operation and will have stabling facilities, stabling track, traverser system, train storage, workshops and substation facilities.