Follow us on Telegram for the latest updates: https://t.me/mothershipsg

If you're someone who enjoys exploring Singapore's streets the old-fashioned way (i.e. walking and cycling), there's good news.

Senior Minister of State for the Ministry of Transport Amy Khor revealed plans to create more pedestrian-friendly streets in Singapore, via a "Friendly Streets" pilot in five neighbourhoods – Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Batok West, Tampines, Toa Payoh, and West Coast.

Khor, who is also Senior Minister of State for the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, also shared an update on new and existing road repurposing projects during the ongoing Committee of Supply (COS) debates on Mar. 3.

The two new road repurposing projects will happen in the second half of this year, at Choa Chu Kang Terrace and Yung Sheng Road.

New "Friendly Streets" pilot

As part of efforts to enhance the walking and cycling experience in public spaces, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) will introduce a "Friendly Streets" initiative at five locations in Singapore.

These are Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Batok West, Tampines, Toa Payoh, and West Coast.

The initiative is meant to create "more inclusive and people-friendly" commutes within residential neighbourhoods, according to an LTA press release.

It is expected to benefit residents including seniors, persons with disabilities, and families with young children, and build on existing efforts to enhance pedestrian safety and accessibility at areas such as Silver Zones and School Zones.

As such, it will be piloted at streets with high pedestrian flows, near key amenities and transport nodes.

Members of the public can look forward to features such as:

• Widened footpaths,
• New barrier-free at-grade crossings (road crossings with kerbs at the same level as the road) with priority for pedestrians, and
• Special signages and on-road markings (informing road users that they are in a "Friendly Streets" zone) to encourage gracious road behaviour.

Here's a sneak preview of what to expect.

Before

After

The "Friendly Streets" will be "specially tailored" to the needs of the local community, and be designed in partnership with the community, LTA added.

The agency shared hopes for the initiative to make Singapore's roads less vehicle-centric, and inclusive for all modes of mobility.

Khor elaborated during the COS debates that the "Friendly Streets" initiative would also "harness the potential of our streets to connect people, activate spaces, and strengthen the sense of local identity".

She shared that engagements for the pilots in the five locations would start this year, with the pilots targeted to be completed by 2025.

New road repurposing projects in Choa Chu Kang and Taman Jurong

Road repurposing works are another avenue through which LTA plans to build "Friendly Streets".

Khor shared that two new projects will be launched this year at Choa Chu Kang Terrace and Yung Sheng Road.

For Choa Chu Kang Terrace, LTA shared in a press release plans to pedestrianise 80m of the road (from Choa Chu Kang Avenue 1 to the loading/unloading access point of Sunshine Place), to give residents a safer walking experience.

This will also further improve the accessibility to Sunshine Place and the future Jurong Region Line station nearby.

At Yung Sheng Road, pedestrianisation of an 18m-long stretch is expected, to enhance safety for pedestrians walking between Taman Jurong Shopping Centre and Taman Jurong Market and Food Centre.

LTA added that it is proposing to implement a covered linkway and improve barrier-free access as part of the works, to improve accessibility for pedestrians.

Works for both projects are targeted to begin in the second half of this year.

Completion of ongoing road repurposing project in Tiong Bahru

There was also an update on ongoing road repurposing works launched by LTA over the past two years.

Works to make the roads surrounding Tiong Bahru market more pedestrian-friendly is expected to be completed by June this year.

Works to permanently pedestrianise Eng Hoon Street have been completed, and will be followed up with planter boxes and installation of street furniture.

The permanent pedestrianisation of Eng Hoon Street will provide more space for the community, according to a 2022 Facebook post by LTA.

The changes also feature new pick-up and drop-off points along Seng Poh Road at the Tiong Bahru market entrance, which LTA said in a press release provides "more convenience" to visitors going to the market.

Additional loading and unloading bays have also been added along Lim Liak Street and Seng Poh Road, and were "welcomed by the hawkers".

According to LTA, works to widen the footpath along Seng Poh Road and Lim Liak Street are in progress.

"Placemaking features" from the community will be added to enhance the local characteristics of the Tiong Bahru area.

Pedestrianisation of Woodlands Ring Road

Meanwhile, the partial pedestrianisation of Woodlands Ring Road (between Woodlands Drive 71 and Drive 63) will be completed by the end of the month.

This includes the installation of covered linkways, a new bus stop and widened footpaths along Woodlands Ring Road, Khor shared.

The road, located adjacent to Kampung Admiralty, is frequented by residents from Sembawang and Woodlands, so the changes will help to ensure individuals can make their way around the neighbourhood more safely and conveniently, former transport minister Ong Ye Kung had shared previously.

LTA also stated that the works for the cycling paths will be completed in tandem with the wider Woodlands town cycling network, to provide greater connectivity for residents.

These works for the wider cycling network are targeted to be progressively completed from 2024.

The inter-agency work group – comprising LTA, NParks, URA and other stakeholders in the area – will continue to identify suitable initiatives, including road repurposing opportunities, LTA added.

This includes further studies to widen footpaths along Tanjong Pagar Road, for active mobility to enhance liveability for residents in the Tanjong Pagar area.

Top image via LTA