Motorists travelling along Thomson Road, as well as between Newton Road and Moulmein Road, may experience longer travelling times from Oct. 18, 2020, due to road modifications made in the Novena area.
These road modifications are done to facilitate the construction of the North-South Corridor, Singapore's longest Transit Priority Corridor at 21.5km, which will directly connect the north and central parts of Singapore.
The NSC tunnels go under the Thomson Road junction with Newton Road and Moulmein Road.
Motorists will experience longer travelling times
According to the Land Transport Authority (LTA), road modifications will be made to the intersection and commuter infrastructure at the Thomson Road junction with Newton Road and Moulmein Road, to create sufficient work areas for the next phase of construction works to commence safely.
The existing cross junction in the Novena area will be reconfigured into two T-junctions.
Road reconfiguration works will begin from 8pm on Oct. 17, to 10am on Oct. 18.
These works will involve lane closures, though traffic on all approaches will remain passable and auxiliary police officers will be present to guide traffic during these hours.
Motorists travelling in this area might experience longer travelling times, of up to four to five minutes, particularly during the morning peak hours.
They are advised to plan ahead for their journeys.
LTA said that this reconfiguration will be temporary, and the cross junction will be reinstated in late 2022.
Underpasses in Novena will be closed from 2021
Changes will also be made to commuter infrastructure in the Novena area from 2021 onwards.
The underpass linking Novena MRT station and Goldhill Shopping Centre in Thomson Road will be closed from the first quarter of 2021.
Pedestrians will have to use the signalised pedestrian crossings along Thomson Road, Moulmein Road and Newton Road.
A replacement overhead bridge will be constructed in the second quarter of next year, to facilitate pedestrian movement in the area.
In addition, the underpass linking Velocity@Novena Square and Revenue House will also be closed, from the second quarter of 2021.
According to LTA, a new series of underpasses will be built by 2026, in order to replace the ones that will be closed.
On Oct. 11, the bus stop outside Novena Square will also be relocated to outside Royal Square, in order to facilitate the road modifications.
LTA said that pedestrians can expect to spend up to an additional two to three minutes of walking, due to the changes made.
North-South Corridor will reduce bus commuting times
These road changes will be made in order to facilitate the North-South Corridor (NSC) construction.
This is a Transit Priority Corridor that will span 21.5km, and directly connect the north and central parts of Singapore.
It is specially designed to cater to the commuting needs of motorists and non-motorists, and will help to relieve traffic along Singapore's north-south transportation corridor, once it is completed.
By intersecting with existing expressways, such as the Seletar Expressway (SLE), Pan Island Expressway (PIE) and East Coast Parkway (ECP), the NSC will help to redistribute traffic flow.
The NSC will have dedicated and continuous bus lanes, and enable the introduction of express bus services to reduce bus travel time along the corridor.
With the completion of the NSC, bus commuters can expect time savings averaging 10 to 15 minutes during peak hours.
The NSC will also provide a dedicated cycling trunk route into the city for cyclists, which will link the Park Connector Network and the local cycling paths within HDB towns along the entire corridor.
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