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Fancy more green spaces to enjoy in Singapore?

The National Parks Board (NParks) and Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) opened the Rail Corridor (North) today (Feb. 10), marking more than 21km of seamless connectivity for visitors along the Rail Corridor.

Minister for National Development Desmond Lee unveiled a distance marker at the Kranji node of the Rail Corridor (North) to inaugurate the opening.

He also planted a tree near the new Hillview bridge with Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong.

Increased accessibility and connectivity

The entire corridor now stretches from Kranji MRT station in the north to Spooner Road in the south.

This improves accessibility to the Rail Corridor, connecting about one million residents living within a 1km radius of the corridor.

Along Rail Corridor (North), 12 new access paths have been added to enhance the connectivity with neighbouring communities as well as other green spaces such as the newly completed Kranji-Mandai Park Connector.

More ramps, more greenery

Currently, there are more than 30 access paths across the Rail Corridor, of which 23 are barrier-free.

This means that there is greater accessibility with ramp features for the wheelchair-bound, or those with strollers and bicycles.

The grey parts of the pavement as seen above are crossing pads, which are placed where there is heavy pedestrian traffic.

They act as visual markers for visitors, alerting them to slow down and be aware of their surroundings to avoid any potential accidents at entry points to the Rail Corridor.

In an effort to spruce up the landscape, NParks and URA have also collaborated with volunteers from students, heritage and nature groups, and representatives from corporate and non-governmental organisations in native tree-planting initiatives, and in removing invasive plant species along the Rail Corridor.

These efforts will be sustained and complemented by the Nature Society (Singapore), who will undertake a rewilding project together with NParks.

According to NParks, the project will be able to support species recovery, increase the biodiversity of native flora, and enhance the natural landscape.

It will also contribute to NParks' OneMillionTrees movement, with the aim of planting a million trees across the country by 2030.

Nature trail at new Kranji node

Visitors can start traipsing the Rail Corridor from the new Kranji Node, located just opposite Kranji MRT station.

As Kranji is along the coast, several native trees and shrubs such as Geronggang have been added along the node to "enhance the rustic and natural charm of the Rail Corridor", according to NParks and URA.

There is a 250m nature trail that links to the main Rail Corridor, that features winding, curved footpaths to create a more immersive experience in nature.

The trail links to a 2,000 sqm community events field, which can be used for various community activities.

Approximately 6km of trail enhancements have been made in between Kranji MRT station and Hillview MRT station.

Hillview enhancements

Visitors embarking along the Hillview stretch are now also able to enjoy an "elevated ridgeline experience", with an enhanced trail planted with secondary forest plant species and shrubs.

Those travelling along the Rail Corridor can now continue north from Upper Bukit Timah Truss Bridge on the enhanced trail that connects to the North section of the Rail Corridor.

NParks and URA have also collaborated to construct a replacement for the old Hillview bridge, which was dismantled in 2011, to provide the pedestrians seamless connectivity across Hillview Road.

The height of the bridge was raised, and the bridge itself was widened and reinforced with different materials for an overall industrial aesthetic.

The bridge was built to pay tribute to the function of its predecessor as a railway crossing, with timber patterns mimicking railway sleepers, and railway tracks incorporated into the bridge floor.

This bridge leads visitors to a 6m-high lookout deck with a bench that overlooks the Dairy Farm Nature Park, Singapore Quarry and Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.

The deck provides relaxing and picturesque views of Bukit Timah Hill and the secondary forests around it.

There is also an extended pedestrian overhead bridge which provides a direct connection between the Rail Mall and the Rail Corridor.

Major ecological corridor for our native biodiversity

According to NParks, the arterial Rail Corridor abuts Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, and several nature parks within the Central Nature Park Network, such as Dairy Farm Nature Park and Rifle Range Nature Park.

To enhance ecological connectivity between the natural habitats, more than 52,000 trees and shrubs have been planted along the corridor.

Already, species like the Malayan Colugo, as well as the critically endangered Straw-headed bulbul and Sunda pangolin, have been spotted at the corridor.

Further enhancements in the future

Nature lovers can look forward to more amenities along the Rail Corridor like toilets and shelters by mid-2023.

Moreover, there will be an addition of a new community node at Buona Vista.

The node at one-north business park is slated to be completed by end-2023, and will be integrated with a mixed-use biomedical sciences development.

There will be spaces for sports, community and cultural events that connect with the existing features along the Rail Corridor, like the arts space under North Buona Vista Road viaduct.

The Tanjong Pagar Railway Station is also due to reopen after 2026.

As part of ongoing efforts to liven up public spaces along the Rail Corridor, NParks and URA are also working with local communities and stakeholders to develop future community nodes.

These include the public space under Queensway viaduct and Tanjong Pagar Railway Station.

Directions to the Kranji node

By train: 

Alight at Kranji MRT station and cross the overhead bridge at Exit C to the entrance of Rail Corridor (North).

By bus: 

Alight at Opp Kranji Stn (Bus Stop 45131) via bus services 160, 170, 170X, 178, 925, 925M, 960, 961, 961M.

By car: 

There is no parking facility available. Visitors are encouraged to take public transport to Rail Corridor (North). Those arriving by car can alight at Kranji MRT Station and cross the overhead bridge at Exit C to the entrance of Rail Corridor (North).

Directions to the Hillview stretch

By train:

Alight at Hillview MRT Station, and take a three-minute walk from Exit B to the access path leading to Rail Corridor (North).

By bus:

Alight at Hillview Station (Bus Stop 43061) via bus services 67, 75, 170, 176, 178, 184, 961, 963, 970 or Bef Hillview Station Exit B (Bus Stop 42991) via bus service 973.

By car:

Alight along Upper Bukit Timah Road. The nearest parking is at Dairy Farm Nature Park Carpark A.

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Cover images via NParks and URA