Marina Coastal Expressway to cost more
than $4 billion to build
Singapore's 10th expressway, the Marina Coastal Expressway will
cost more than $4 billion to construct, making it the country's
most expensive highway to date.
Part of the reason for the high cost is to build a section of
the road about 20 metres below the sea, parallel to the Marina
Barrage.
Transport Minister Raymond Lim was at the barrage this morning
to break ground for the project, which will be one of the most
challenging the Land Transport Authority has ever undertaken.
Besides the section that runs under the sea, construction of the
other parts of the 10-lane expressway ( eds: 5 lane dual
carriageway ) will also require massive excavation in difficult
soil conditions.
In some sections for instance, excavation works could run as
deep as 59 metres or about 20 storeys below ground level.
In other parts, land will have to be reclaimed for the
construction of the expressway.
Director of the MCE project, Chuah Han Leong.
" We are working quite close to the coast and also quite far
away from all the developments that are happening now , like the
IR, the Marina Bay and the Financial Centre. We are basically next
to the sea and we will use the right material as well as
construction method to make sure that all our construction is safe.
"
When completed in 2013 the MCE together with the newly opened
Kallang Paya Lebar Expressway, will form the world's longest urban
underground road tunnel.
--938Live
