from:
http://www.propertyguru.com.sg/news/2009/7/18208/boon-lay-s-new-bus-interchange-set-to-open
WORK on the new air-conditioned Boon Lay bus interchange has
been completed and it is expected to open during the year-end
school holidays.
One of a new generation of transport hubs like the ones in Ang
Mo Kio and Toa Payoh, the 32,000 sq m interchange will be linked to
the Boon Lay MRT station and the Jurong Point 2 shopping
centre.
About 150,000 commuters are expected to use it daily, said the
Land Transport Authority (LTA).
Construction was completed recently and the LTA expects to hand
over the interchange to SBS Transit next month, to train and
familiarise its bus captains with the new facilities.
The interchange will open during the year-end school holidays to
minimise any confusion, said an LTA spokesman.
The new interchange, which can hold up to 60 buses, has 31
boarding and alighting berths, said the LTA.
Commuters will be able to transfer between trains and buses in
air-conditioned comfort as well as shop at the stores at the
interchange.
The concourse of the interchange also leads directly to the
first floor of the Jurong Point 2 shopping mall.
Currently, Boon Lay residents use a temporary bus interchange
located next to the MRT station.
'The temporary interchange now is quite hot and the road leading
to it is also very congested as there are only two lanes.
Hopefully, the new interchange will solve these problems,' said Mr
Joseph Foo, 58, chairman of the Pioneer Citizens Consultative
Committee.
With the new interchange, commuters will no longer have to cut
through the MRT station to get to Jurong Point.
Boon Lay resident Rachel Chew, 30, said: 'I sometimes just take
a cab from Jurong Point back home to avoid walking back to the
interchange. When the new interchange opens, I will probably take
my feeder bus more frequently.'
Businesses at Jurong Point are also hoping that the new bus
interchange will bring in more customers.
'We are looking forward to it. The crowds here are fairly okay,
but I'm sure with the bus interchange opening, we will have more
people walking in,' said Ms Nina Koh, supervisor at shoe store
BeetleBug.