For one day only, the junction in front of Ascott Raffles Place briefly transformed into a sight that many in Singapore are familiar with — the famous Shibuya scramble crossing in Japan.
Unexpected Singapore scramble crossing post-NDP
Crowds thronged the junction's intersection on Aug. 9, 2023 when road marshals gave them the green light, as seen in a video uploaded by Reddit user @ballotlunch on Aug. 10.
National Day spectators decked in the red and white colours of the Singapore flag were able to cross the roads haphazardly from all directions after the parade due to multiple road closures.
Image screenshot from NDP 2023’s Crowd@MarinaBay information portal.
For a brief moment, the Marina Bay area of Singapore took on the life of the busiest pedestrian intersection in the world — the Shibuya scramble crossing.
The overwhelming number of people clearly made it hard for road marshals to maintain rules and orderliness.
Video from @ballotlunch/Reddit.
Orchard Road scramble crossing 2017
Did you know that Singapore tried to implement a scramble crossing at Orchard Road as a trial in 2017?
The scramble crossing was located at the junction between Cairnhill Road and Orchard Road on all weekends and public holidays from Dec. 16, 2017 to Jan. 28, 2018.
It was introduced as part of the Orchard Road Business Association's effort to revive the area as a shopping destination in an attempt to make it easier for pedestrians to move around the area.
Following mixed reviews, the idea, unfortunately, did not move past the trial stage.
However, there is one other scramble crossing in Singapore.
It is near Lau Pa Sat and at the junction of Boon Tat Street and Robinson Road.
About the Shibuya scramble crossing
The Shibuya scramble crossing, or Shibuya crossing, is a popular tourist attraction in the capital of Japan, Tokyo.
It is located in front of the Shibuya Station Hachikō exit.
Vehicles in all directions stop at regular two-minute junctures to allow as many as 3,000 pedestrians fill up the entire intersection.
The crossing is a prerequisite experience for tourists visiting Japan.
Photo by Ratapan Anantawat on Unsplash
Top image from ballotlunch/Reddit and Canva