Woodsville Interchange to be upgraded with road tunnels,
flyover
17 May 2006 1625 hrs (SST) 0825 hrs (GMT)
SINGAPORE : It is one of Singapore's most congested interchanges
linking four major roads.
Woodsville Interchange is reaching its full capacity usage and is
already starting to cause massive traffic jams.
So the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has stepped in with a
multi-million project to build three new tunnels and a flyover to
manage the growing traffic.
Construction is expected to be completed in 2011.
It has become a common sight - trapped in bumper to bumper traffic
near the Woodsville Interchange.
Traffic studies by the LTA have shown that it is not unusual to
wait for 2 to 3 traffic light cycles to clear the junctions at
Serangoon, Upper Serangoon, MacPherson and Bendemeer Roads.
That means about 7 minutes stuck in traffic, plus 3 more minutes if
you take the U-turn at Whampoa North.
Based on computer simulations, the proposed upgrade will cut
travelling time by half, taking into account the projected traffic
growth going through the area.
With the three new tunnels, traffic on Serangoon to Upper
Serangoon, Bendemeer to Upper Serangoon and MacPherson to Bendemeer
Roads will also be uninterrupted, while a new flyover will link the
PIE slip road to Kallang Way.
Currently during peak hours, traffic flows at Woodsville
Interchange is up to 8,400 vehicles per hour.
LTA says if nothing is done, it will be gridlock in a few years
time. But with the upgrade, the new interchange will have increased
capacity of 11,000 vehicles per hour during the peak periods.
A single tunnel and flyover project completed elsewhere in
Singapore already costs $20 million to $30 million dollars, and a
project of this size could cost several times more.
LTA says it will likely be the most expensive project of its kind,
and one of the most complex road structure projects to date.
"To compound the situation, we have the NE Line MRT tunnel which
runs along the Serangoon Upper, Serangoon corridor, as well as deep
sewage tunnels which run parallel to the PIE. So that means when we
come up with a system that requires us to build tunnels and
flyovers at that junction, we have to make sure that we don't
affect any of the infrastructures in place," said Paul Fok,
director and chief engineer (civil) at LTA.
Surrounding buildings like Jackson Centre will be affected by the
road widening and some portions of the former Serangoon Fire
Station will have to be torn down.
Before construction starts in late 2007, a six month study will be
done to evaluate the best construction method.
- CNA /ls
