Farrer Road back to normal by end-2010

TUNNELLING work for the Circle Line may have been completed yesterday, but motorists will have to put up with road diversions along Farrer Road until the end of next year.

When normal traffic is fully restored, the dual carriageway three-lane road will also have an extra lane added each way, said Land Transport Authority (LTA) deputy chief executive Lim Bok Ngam yesterday.

For the last few years, motorists have had to navigate the twists and turns of the road while the underground train station was being built.

Traffic also slowed down to a crawl during rush hour.

The LTA said that it will take some time for the road to be reinstated.

This is to allow for the building of new drains, the removal of tunnelling equipment and the demolition of temporary underground retaining walls.

Farrer Road resident Annie Low, 42, an accountant, battles traffic jams daily on her 30-minute drive to work at Dhoby Ghaut.

‘I’m really glad the station will be opened soon. Once that happens, I will probably sell my car and take the train to work,’ said Madam Low.

Farrer Road will be among the last few stretches of road affected by Circle Line construction to be reinstated, together with the junction around Holland Village.

Road realignments for the rest of the orbital line are all complete, except for one stretch of Paya Lebar Road, said an LTA spokesman.

This stretch, from Geylang Road to Jalan Afifi, will be widened and realigned by the end of this year, she added.

Source: Straits Times, 18 Aug 2009

Circle Line breakthrough

Tunnelling completed, and parts of line to city could open by mid-2010

THE good news is that stages of the new Circle Line that lead to downtown Singapore could open by the second quarter of next year, with the entire 33.3km, 29-station project ready by early-2011.

But the not-so-good news is that the project, which started in 2002, could cost taxpayers close to $10 billion, or 50 per cent more than the original $6.7 billion bill.

Sources close to the underground construction project – long delayed after a tunnelling accident in 2004 – said that Stages 1 and 2 of the line could open by early next year.

This stretch, with 11 stations, goes from Paya Lebar to Dhoby Ghaut via Suntec.

And Stages 4 and 5 – the north and western portions – could be ready by end next year or early-2011.

Already in service is Stage 3, consisting of five stations from Bartley to Marymount. It opened for service on May 28, but ridership has been low, hovering in the low 30,000s, well below the 45,000 to 55,000 expected. Analysts say this is unlikely to improve until the rest of the line opens.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) would not be specific about when the other stages would open, beyond saying ‘remaining stations are expected to commence progressively from 2010′.

It said Stages 1 and 2 stations which have attained temporary occupation permit (TOP) status are Dhoby Ghaut, Bras Basah, Esplanade, Promenade and Tai Seng, signalling that they have cleared all building and safety inspections, and are ready to be handed over to operator SMRT Corp.

Other stations like Nicoll Highway, Stadium, MacPherson, Paya Lebar, Dakota and Mountbatten are expected to get TOP by the end of this year.

At a ceremony to mark the completion of tunnelling works yesterday, LTA chief executive Yam Ah Mee said the dates for when the rest of the line would open were still fluid. He said that remaining tracks had to be laid, electrical and mechanical works completed, and testing and commissioning done with operator SMRT.

Currently, 76 per cent of the tracks have been laid; and 97 per cent of electrical and mechanical works are done.

Yesterday’s tunnel breakthrough ceremony marked the completion of the toughest part of construction.

The last bit of tunnelling was completed near the Farrer station. The LTA had expected tunnels in the western loop of the line to be completed last, but it has turned out that Farrer was the most challenging because of the mixed soil conditions underground.

‘Granite, clay…you name it, we had it,’ LTA Circle Line director Ow Chun Nam said.

Construction was also made more challenging by water seepage. Despite building retaining walls that were 1.2m thick – among the thickest anywhere – water had found its way into the tunnel.

Station walls were also marked by several patch lines where workers did grouting, engineering process where concrete material is pumped into leak points at high pressure to seal them.

Still, the tunnel floor was visibly wet. Mr Ow said he was confident that the leaks would be contained when construction is fully completed.

The LTA would not comment on how much the line would cost.

‘Works are still in progress, and it’s a bit too early to tell,’ said Mr Yam, when asked for an estimate of the cost increase.

The original budget of $6.7 billion was busted after a tunnel near Nicoll Highway collapsed in 2004, killing four workers. Since then, all underground works had to be made far more robust, thus pushing costs up. One station, Dakota in the Guillemard area, had to be rebuilt altogether as a result.

Then, the cost of raw materials such as sand, concrete and steel started to spiral from 2007.

This led one builder, Sweden’s NCC International, to throw in the towel. The company has just completed an arbitration – a closed-door dispute-settlement process – with the LTA after it stopped work at the MacPherson and Tai Seng stations. The Straits Times understands that one other Circle Line contractor was close to going for arbitration.

‘Almost all the cost issues have been settled,’ said a major builder yesterday.

One former senior LTA executive estimated the cost of the entire project to reach around $10 billion.

Source: Straits Times, 18 Aug 2009

Work begins on Bt Timah MRT line

To be completed in 2015, it is the second phase of the Downtown Line

WORK started yesterday on the second phase of the Downtown Line (DTL2), which will take commuters through the Bukit Timah corridor to the city centre.

When completed in 2015, the 16.6km long DTL2 will give Bukit Panjang and Bukit Timah residents a direct rail link to the Central Business District (CBD) and Marina Bay.

More than 30 schools with about 60,000 students in all – including Hwa Chong Institution and National Junior College – will also benefit as train stations open near them.

Transport Minister Raymond Lim said at the groundbreaking ceremony yesterday: ‘Those who live, work and go to school in this area will enjoy a completely new way to travel, with convenient connections to every part of the city.’

A dozen stations will be strung out along DTL2, which will start in Bukit Panjang, pass through Bukit Timah and run to Rochor. There, it will link up to the first phase of the Downtown Line, which loops around Marina Bay and the CBD.

Those living and working in Bukit Timah are looking forward to having an MRT station open near them.

Mr Low Meng Hai, the 59-year-old chairman of the Beauty World Merchants Association, said with a laugh: ‘I might sell my car when the new line opens!’

Madam Ong Guat Ngo, 62, who lives in Jalan Jurong Kechil, is pleased that the upcoming Beauty World station will be a stone’s throw from her home.

The retiree now relies on buses to get around. A journey to People’s Park Centre in Chinatown takes her 1-1/2 hours by bus, including waiting time.

When the DTL2 opens, she will take only 40 minutes – less than half the time.

Sections of Upper Bukit Timah Road will be diverted from as early as the fourth quarter of this year; extensive diversions are also expected in Rochor.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) stressed that the capacity of the roads will not drop significantly because there will be a lane-for-lane replacement in the diverted roads.

The LTA will award four more civil contracts for the DTL2 by September. Six, worth $2.6 billion in all, have been awarded so far.

LTA chief executive Yam Ah Mee said the entire Downtown Line, projected to cost $12 billion, is within budget. Almost $6 billion in contracts have been awarded so far.

Tendering of civil contracts for the third and final phase of the line begins next year. Due for completion in 2016, this section will thread through eastern Singapore, ending at Expo.

Source: Business Times, 4 July 2009

Seeing red over Seletar traffic

Construction projects, lack of traffic signals cause chaos and alarm in Seletar West Link area

Housewife Valerie Goh gets an attack of nerves each time she has to drive to the Seletar Country Club off Yio Chu Kang.

The area is undergoing construction, with the Seletar Aerospace Park set to be fully completed by 2018, and she is frightened by the steady stream of heavy vehicles and the constant road changes.
‘The roads keep changing and it is very confusing and dangerous. Traffic comes in all directions and it’s hard to tell who has the right of way,’ said Ms Goh, 35, a member of the club.

She and other members are particularly worried about a short stretch of road about 200m from the clubhouse. The road, which intersects Seletar Club Road, Seletar West Link and West Camp Road, has three junctions which do not have traffic signals.

‘With the heavy traffic, and with large trucks, it is becoming quite hazardous.

‘We are gravely concerned with the safety aspects and have advised our members to be extra careful when using the junction,’ said Seletar Country Club general manager Eric Song.

The Sunday Times understands that there have been two accidents in the area, one of which was between a car and a lorry.

The club has put up signs on its premises showing a map of the road and urging drivers to be careful.

Another club member, retiree Stephanie Goh, 64, said: ‘Many members live in the Seletar Hills area, so we have no choice but to take the road when coming from the Jalan Kayu direction. It’s very dangerous and I have to be extra careful if I use it.’

The traffic problem, which started last year, seems to have worsened since June 1, when Seletar West Link was opened.

When The Sunday Times visited the area last Friday, cars jostled for space with big trucks, and vehicles were often forced to halt suddenly at the intersections.

Two construction company workers were directing traffic with orange cones.

‘It’s very dangerous. I see many near-accidents,’ said construction worker Kitti Rittimann, 41.

A spokesman for the Land Transport Authority said there are a number of concurrent projects by different agencies in the vicinity of the Seletar West Link. These include the Seletar Aerospace Park, sewer and water pipeline projects as well as the construction of a new Seletar West Link to serve the Construction Industry Park at Pulau Punggol Timor.

Said the spokesman: ‘LTA is aware of the feedback by the Seletar Country Club about congestion in the area. As an interim measure, the Building and Construction Authority has asked its contractor to deploy traffic wardens who are now providing guidance to motorists in the area.

‘LTA is reviewing the situation with all parties concerned to improve the situation.’

However, some members feel this is not good enough. Said a 46-year-old businessman who wanted to be known only as Mr Chua: ‘The workers directing traffic don’t really help as they are not always there. It would be better to put up some traffic lights or signals.’

Source: Straits Times, 21 June 2009

Next change at Icon Village: A food haven

Good location, but mall tenants bemoan poor layout, lack of publicity

THE Icon Village, a shopping mall occupying the ground level of the Icon Condominium, is undergoing renovations and a rebranding exercise, less than two years after opening its doors.

Originally billed as a mall offering stress relief, the 30,000 sq ft retail space about five minutes away from the Tanjong Pagar MRT station now wants to remodel itself as a food haven.

Its developer, Far East Organization, said this rejuvenation will allow the mall to meet greater demand from several new developments such as hotels and residential estates.

Tenants are looking forward to the revamp as business has been poor, leaving many of them floundering. They chose to set up shop at the Icon Village because of its good location. But most tenants said they have ‘yet to cover costs’ and that there are days when they do not see ‘a single customer’.

From late last year, the mall’s tenants have dwindled from 50 to the current 14.

The main reasons for the low traffic, tenants said, are the confusing layout – many shops are hidden from plain view – and the lack of publicity.

Checks with 20 people working or living near the mall show that most do not know where or what Icon Village is.

Ms Jeanine Ang, 28, a clerk, said she knew of the condominium but did not realise there was a mall in the building. Others said the shops did not appeal to them.

Tenant mix is another reason residents at the Icon, which has 646 units, have given the mall a miss.
Mr Simon Buechi, 25, a bank consultant, said: ‘The shops are not very exciting. Many are also closed on weekends when I am free to shop.’

A 40-year-old banker said he prefers shopping in town and would have appreciated a place where he could buy his groceries.

Ms Irene Tan, a realty adviser, added: ‘The mall is in a very prime location so it is a pity it isn’t popular. The tenant mix is important – people need a reason to visit.

‘They could bring in a supermarket as an anchor tenant to cater to the residents in the condominium.’

To bring in more foot traffic, Far East Organization is spending $2 million to improve the layout and ambience of Icon Village. The rebranding will have a tenant mix of 65 per cent food and beverage outlets, with the rest devoted to lifestyle and service shops.

Other than the tenant mix, renovations – which started this month and will be completed in the latter part of the year – will also make the mall brighter. Plans are to transform an existing 7m walkway into a stretch of food outlets. Promotional activities are in the pipeline.

Mr Steven Toh, owner of the Advance Shoe Repair & Locksmith Services, recently signed another three-year lease: ‘I am staying on because I am looking at the long run.

‘There are offices, flats and other estates coming up in Tanjong Pagar. With the right tenants and promotional activities, I see a good glimpse of hope.’

Source: Straits Times, 30 May 2009

Circle Line trains start rolling today

Five stations open, with work on rest of 33.3km line nearing completion

TRAINS start rolling through the Circle Line’s first five stations this morning, as work on the rest of the underground line nears completion.

Marymount, Bishan, Lorong Chuan, Serangoon and Bartley stations will begin operations today, with the first train arriving at about 6am.

The remaining 24 stations will open from next year. Progress at these stations is on track, Transport Minister Raymond Lim said yesterday.

About 98 per cent of the 33.3km-long Circle Line tunnels have been completed. The rest will be finished by September, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA).

While the LTA would not say which stations will open next, it is likely that Circle Line stages 1 and 2 are next in line.

With 11 stations in all, these two stages include those in the City Hall and Paya Lebar area.
Six stations – Dhoby Ghaut, Bras Basah, Esplanade, Promenade, Stadium and Tai Seng – have already obtained Temporary Occupation Permits, which means they can be occupied.

The Circle Line, which will eventually run from HarbourFront to Dhoby Ghaut, helps commuters transfer between existing lines without the need to travel to the city centre.

Among the five stations open today are two interchanges, Bishan and Serangoon, where commuters can transfer to the North-South line and North-East line respectively.

Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who opened the stations in a ceremony at Bishan MRT yesterday, said: ‘It will open up multiple new connections for residents in the north and the north-east.’

With the Circle Line, a commuter will now take only four minutes to travel from Bishan to Serangoon, compared to 15 minutes by bus or more than 25 minutes on existing rail lines.
Mr Teo added: ‘Singaporeans expect high standards and the LTA and the public transport operators must work hard to meet the expectations of the Singaporean commuter.’

A Gallup world poll of 20 cities last year found that Singaporeans were the most satisfied with their public transport system.

With more than $40 billion to be spent on doubling the rail network by 2020, the LTA and the two operators have their work cut out for them maintaining that ranking.

About 55,000 commuters are expected to use the Circle Line’s first five stations. Daily ridership will climb to about 500,000 when the entire line opens.

Trains will run at a frequency of one every three to four minutes during peak hours at the five stations.

Adult ez-link fares, ranging from 73 cents to $2.07, are similar to those on the North-East line, but higher than those on the older North-South and East-West lines.

The Circle Line’s operator, SMRT, said it will donate takings from the first 22 days of operations to charity.

SMRT’s president and chief executive officer Saw Phaik Hwa said the operator expects to collect about $400,000 to $500,000 over the 22 days.

The company also unveiled yesterday a new uniform for its staff, who will now don the company’s corporate colours of red, black and white.

The start of the new train service will also mark the launch of new careers for more than 300 SMRT staff hired to run the Circle Line.

They will fill positions like customer service officers, technical officers and engineers.

Among them is Miss Siti Nuraidah, 26, a train service controller for the new line. One of three women in the team of 20 controllers, she said: ‘I might be new to the job but I want to challenge myself and prove that I can do as well as the others’.

Source: Straits Times, 28 May 2009

Downturn will not derail projects

Keeping status as top maritime, air hubs still a priority; rail and bus networks to be better

SINGAPORE is not pulling back on multi-billion- dollar projects in the transport and logistics sectors despite the global credit crunch.

Transport Minister Raymond Lim, in his addendum to the President’s Address on Monday, said the Government remained committed to maintaining Singapore’s position as a leading maritime port and enhancing its appeal as an air hub.

Mr Lim reiterated plans to double the MRT network by 2020 and to raise the standard of bus services. At the same time, the Government will continue to expand the road network and to look to new technologies such as satellite-tracked, distance- based road pricing to optimise road capacity.

‘Despite the current economic downturn, the expansion of Pasir Panjang Terminal is proceeding without delay,’ the minister said.

He said plans to build a new port operations control centre in Changi were also under way.
Mr Lim acknowledged that the international aviation industry has had its wings clipped by the economic slowdown that began last September.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore is providing $200 million this year to help airlines and airport partners weather the storm.

Meanwhile, the Government will work to retain Changi Airport’s edge as a key aviation centre.
‘The corporatisation of Changi Airport will enable us to make a strategic shift from a position of strength,’ Mr Lim said, adding that it allows Changi to respond more quickly to industry changes. And the airport will be able to attract and retain talent, as well as pursue overseas businesses and investments more freely.

The minister singled out the phenomenal growth of low-cost carriers in the region.

In the first quarter of this year, budget airline traffic at Changi grew 35 per cent over the same period last year, while full-service carriers suffered a 13 per cent drop. ‘We will continue to nurture and help these carriers grow their operations out of Changi Airport,’ Mr Lim said.

For instance, Changi’s Budget Terminal was recently expanded to provide capacity for seven million passengers per annum, up from 2.7 million.

Turning to the Land Transport Masterplan, the minister said the Government’s aim of delivering ‘a high-quality and affordable land transport system’ remained intact. The masterplan revealed last year calls for $50 billion or more to be spent on infrastructure projects over the next 10 to 15 years.

By 2020, Singapore will have about 280km of rail lines, almost double the current 142km.

The 33km Circle Line will open in phases, starting with Stage 3 (Bartley to Marymount) on May 28. Stages 1 and 2 that join the suburbs to the city are likely to follow next year. The rest of the line is expected to open from 2011.

Other projects like the Downtown Line, Eastern Region Line and Thomson Line will link the north, north-west and east to the city.

At the same time, the bar has been raised for bus operators. By August this year, at least 80 per cent of basic bus services will run at intervals of not more than 10 minutes during weekday peak hours, instead of the current 15.

Private transport is not ignored.

By 2020, a new underground expressway linking the Thomson area to the city – and running to the west of the congested Central Expressway – should bring relief to motorists living in the north.

Besides spending on hardware, significant policy changes have also been proposed to make the transport system ‘people-centred’.

These include injecting contestability into the public transport market, where routes may be open to bidding by players other than the incumbents, so as to keep operators constantly on their toes.

A new financial framework has also been mooted. This allows new rail projects to be built as long as the overall network is commercially viable.

Before this, each new line has to be deemed viable before the green light is given.

The Government is reviewing steps ‘to encourage Singaporeans to reduce their reliance on cars’.

Source: Straits Times, 22 May 2009

Bishan MRT station ready for Circle crowds

It will become an interchange when Circle Line begins ops next week

BISHAN MRT station is geared up for the partial opening of the new Circle Line next Thursday.
The station, among the new line’s first five stations to open, will function as an interchange for commuters to transfer between the Circle Line and the existing North-South Line.

Work at Bishan station to prepare it for criss- crossing the Circle Line has taken over five years.
Before the changes, Bishan had a semi-underground train platform without air-conditioning; north- and south-bound commuters shared that platform, like in most MRT stations.

But a shared platform will not be enough for the higher number of commuters who will use the station after the Circle line opens, so the north- and south-bound platforms have been separated.
Last July, a separate south-bound platform opened for use, leaving the existing platform for north-bound commuters – though it needed upgrading works. The new south-bound platform is air-conditioned and has full-height screen doors to seal it off from the tracks.

The platform that will from tomorrow handle commuters headed north to Ang Mo Kio, Yishun and beyond has been made bigger, air-conditioned and given new flooring and full-height screen doors.

Together, the two platforms can hold 2,020 standing passengers, up from 1,250 previously.
The screen doors and air-conditioning systems for the north-bound platform are still undergoing tests before the expected start of operations tomorrow.

Preparation work on the doors, the installation and testing took about a year, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA).

This was because the platform has been in use all this while, and only limited work could be carried out during the day, with the trains running.

Mr Tan Kian Thong, LTA’s director for the Circle Line’s first five stations, said: ‘We managed to do things like the changing of tiles on the floor during the day, but the doors had to be put up section by section after midnight.’

The platform will have two escalators and one staircase to link commuters to the Circle Line platforms.

Commuters who use the Bishan station are looking forward to a spruced-up platform for north- bound trains.

Undergraduate Ho Xue Mei, 22, said: ‘It will be more comfortable waiting for a train once the air-conditioning is switched on. It’s been quite humid the last few months while they were renovating the platform.’

Besides commuters, businesses in the basement of the Junction 8 shopping mall next to the station will benefit from the opening of the new line.

An exit to the mall’s basement from the Circle Line linkway has been built, though it will be shut for the moment because Junction 8 has not yet started work on its side.

Mall developer CapitaLand Retail said it will open the link at ‘an opportune time’. It has to consider the new line’s ridership and how any renovation will disrupt tenants’ businesses.

The Straits Times understands that the link is near the Sakae Sushi and Ajisen Ramen restaurants in the basement.

Sakae Sushi said it is ‘in talks with the landlord’ but declined to say more.

Mr Henry Tan, general manager of Japan Foods Holding which runs Ajisen Ramen, said he hoped the link will be opened soon.

He said: ‘Even if we have to be relocated to another floor because of it, it’s okay. A direct link will definitely be good for business for the entire mall.’

Source: Straits Times, 22 May 2009

Round and about the Circle Line

CIRCLE Line trains will start rolling in two weeks, with the first five stations set to open their doors on May 28.

The estimated 55,000 commuters who will use the service daily can expect trains to run at a frequency of one every three minutes to four minutes during peak hours.

Besides serving residents and several nearby schools in areas such as Marymount and Lorong Chuan, the stations will also showcase works by local artists.

For now, seven three-car trains will ply the 5.7km stretch during rush hour.

More trains will come on board when the remaining 24 stations in the Circle Line open to the public from next year onwards.

Yesterday, The Straits Times took an eight-minute train ride from Bartley to Marymount and checked out each of the five stations.

Source: Straits Times, 15 May 2009

Work begins on S’pore’s 10th expressway

Completion due 2013; it is first road tunnel under the sea

(SINGAPORE) The Land Transport Authority (LTA) broke ground yesterday on the construction of Singapore’s first road tunnel under the sea, the Marina Coastal Expressway (MCE).

The new expressway, slated for completion in 2013, will connect the Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) and the East Coast Parkway (ECP) to the Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE).Singapore’s 10th expressway is also notable for another superlative – it will be the country’s most expensive expressway, with the value of contracts awarded so far coming up to $4.1 billion.

Exceeding a budgeted figure of $2.5 billion, based on lower construction and engineering costs in 2006, the contracts awarded so far comprise six major civil contracts and four major system-wide contracts. One minor civil contract and three other system-wide contracts are still to be awarded.

In comparison, Singapore’s second most expensive expressway, the KPE, cost $1.8 billion to build.

According to LTA, some of cost of the MCE may be recovered if the prices of materials fall, due to a price fluctuation clause in contracts.

Apart from higher tender prices, construction of the MCE in difficult ground and soil conditions, as well as additional safety requirements for the sub-sea tunnel, added to the overall cost.

Construction will take place in soft clay that runs as deep as 60 m in some places.

‘Soft clay is not very good for construction,’ said Chuah Han Leong, LTA’s director of the MCE project. ‘It is like working with toothpaste. So we have to conduct extensive ground improvement to enhance the safety of the excavation.’

Planning for the MCE was done with an eye on property values. To increase the development potential of prime land in Marina Bay, the section of the ECP that runs through Marina South will be realigned and downgraded to an arterial road.

‘The MCE will add to the long-term growth of Singapore and increase accessibility to the Marina Bay downtown area,’ said LTA chief executive Yam Ah Mee.Source: Business Times, 29 April 2009

‘The MCE underscores the government’s commitment to continue investing in Singapore’s road network,’ Transport Minister Raymond Lim said at the ground-breaking ceremony.

‘The MCE will be our 10th expressway, after the KPE which opened last year. We will continue to invest in road infrastructure for the future, within the constraints of our limited land space. By 2020, we will complete the North South Expressway (NSE), which will provide an additional route from the north to the city.’

The 5 km MCE is the most ambitious project undertaken by the LTA and involves the widest road tunnel in Singapore, with five lanes going in each direction.

A 420 m section of the expressway will be beneath the sea bed. At its deepest point, it will be about 20 m below mean sea level. Some 13.1 ha of land will be reclaimed for the project – 9.1 ha at Marina Wharf and 4 ha at Marina East.