Woodsville Interchange
Encyclopedia
Woodsville Interchange is a road interchange located south of Potong Pasir
in Singapore
. It links four major roads and an expressway
in Singapore: Upper Serangoon Road, Serangoon Road, Bendemeer Road, MacPherson Road and Pan Island Expressway
. It is currently undergoing an upgrading project to ease congestion
which is expected to be completed by 2011.
(CTE) was also included in the project.
, traffic volumes at this interchange are very high, reaching up to 8400 vehicles per hour, and it is near its traffic capacity. There has also been major traffic congestion at the at-grade road interchange, with a possible gridlock
in a few years time. To ease the traffic flow, the Land Transport Authority
have decided to upgrade this interchange.
as the main civil contractor after a six-months study conducted by Parsons Brinckerhoff Pte Ltd
to evaluate the best construction method that is safe and best minimises inconvenience to motorists, residents and business owners, with the project expecting to be completed by 2011.
The project includes the building of three underpasses
and an overpass
. Two of the underpasses will have two lanes per direction each, stretching from Serangoon Road and Bendemeer Road to Upper Serangoon Road. The third underpass will have one lane and will stretch from MacPherson Road to Bendemeer Road. The flyover will stretch from a slip road of exit 15 along Pan Island Expressway to Kallang Way. In addition, once the project is completed, Whampoa North, a u-turn road from Bendemeer Road to Serangoon Road, will be closed to traffic and be removed, with the land returning to the government
.
This project is one of the most expensive of its kind at S$
20 million to S$30 million dollars and several times more expensive than any single flyover and tunnel project completed elsewhere in Singapore. It is one of the most complex as well due to the NEL tunnel
beneath the interchange and a deep sewage tunnel which runs parallel to the expressway. Several buildings will be affected by the road widening and a portion of the former Serangoon Fire Station will have to be torn down.
and the city
; and the northeast
and the city.
Traffic volume at the at-grade junction will also decrease allowing smoother traffic flow, especially for motorists entering Pan Island Expressway (westbound) from Upper Serangoon Road and MacPherson Road. The traffic capacity at this interchange will also increase to 11,000 vehicles per hour during peak hours.
Potong Pasir
Potong Pasir is an area located between Toa Payoh and Sennett Estate in the North-East Region of Singapore. For urban planning purposes, it is classified under the Toa Payoh area. Potong Pasir is particularly notable for being the longest-held opposition ward in one-party dominant Singapore...
in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. It links four major roads and an expressway
Expressways of Singapore
The expressways of Singapore are special roads that allow motorists to travel quickly from one urban area to another. All of them are dual carriageways with grade-separated access. They usually have three to four lanes in each direction, although there are two-lane or five-lane carriageways in some...
in Singapore: Upper Serangoon Road, Serangoon Road, Bendemeer Road, MacPherson Road and Pan Island Expressway
Pan Island Expressway
The Pan Island Expressway is the oldest and longest of Singapore's expressways. Currently, it is also Singapore's longest road. It extends along the length of the island, connecting Tuas in the west to Singapore Changi Airport in the east. Its length is .-Construction:Construction of the PIE...
. It is currently undergoing an upgrading project to ease congestion
Traffic congestion
Traffic congestion is a condition on road networks that occurs as use increases, and is characterized by slower speeds, longer trip times, and increased vehicular queueing. The most common example is the physical use of roads by vehicles. When traffic demand is great enough that the interaction...
which is expected to be completed by 2011.
History
The dual two-lane Woodsville Flyover was built between Jalan Kolam Ayer and Jalan Toa Payoh in 1982. Due to the increased traffic demand over the years, the flyover was upgraded in 1994 to a dual four-lane flyover, merging it with the Pan-Island Expressway extension. A flyover to cater to traffic heading towards the Central ExpresswayCentral Expressway
The following roads are named Central Expressway:*Central Expressway, Singapore*Central Expressway , part of County Route G6 in Santa Clara County, California*Central Expressway , part of U.S. Highway 75 in Dallas, Texas...
(CTE) was also included in the project.
Current traffic conditions
During peak hoursRush hour
A rush hour or peak hour is a part of the day during which traffic congestion on roads and crowding on public transport is at its highest. Normally, this happens twice a day—once in the morning and once in the evening, the times during when the most people commute...
, traffic volumes at this interchange are very high, reaching up to 8400 vehicles per hour, and it is near its traffic capacity. There has also been major traffic congestion at the at-grade road interchange, with a possible gridlock
Gridlock
The term gridlock is defined as "A state of severe road congestion arising when continuous queues of vehicles block an entire network of intersecting streets, bringing traffic in all directions to a complete standstill; a traffic jam of this kind." The term originates from a situation possible in...
in a few years time. To ease the traffic flow, the Land Transport Authority
Land Transport Authority
The Land Transport Authority is a statutory board under the Ministry of Transport of the Singapore Government.-History:...
have decided to upgrade this interchange.
2008 Upgrading project
The Woodsville Interchange upgrading project commenced in the third quarter of 2007 with the awarding of the Singapore branch of Gammon Construction LimitedGammon Construction
Gammon Construction Limited is a leading construction contractors headquartered in Hong Kong. In addition to local construction projects, it also actively participating in various projects in China and Southeast Asia.-History:...
as the main civil contractor after a six-months study conducted by Parsons Brinckerhoff Pte Ltd
Parsons Brinckerhoff
Parsons Brinckerhoff is a professional services firm with 14,000 employees in 150 offices providing construction and operation management, planning, design, engineering, program management, strategic consulting, environmental and sustainability services for clients and communities in the Americas,...
to evaluate the best construction method that is safe and best minimises inconvenience to motorists, residents and business owners, with the project expecting to be completed by 2011.
The project includes the building of three underpasses
Tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
and an overpass
Overpass
An overpass is a bridge, road, railway or similar structure that crosses over another road or railway...
. Two of the underpasses will have two lanes per direction each, stretching from Serangoon Road and Bendemeer Road to Upper Serangoon Road. The third underpass will have one lane and will stretch from MacPherson Road to Bendemeer Road. The flyover will stretch from a slip road of exit 15 along Pan Island Expressway to Kallang Way. In addition, once the project is completed, Whampoa North, a u-turn road from Bendemeer Road to Serangoon Road, will be closed to traffic and be removed, with the land returning to the government
Government of Singapore
The Government of Singapore is defined by the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore to mean the Executive branch of government, which is made up of the President and the Cabinet of Singapore. Although the President acts in his personal discretion in the exercise of certain functions as a check...
.
This project is one of the most expensive of its kind at S$
Singapore dollar
The Singapore dollar or Dollar is the official currency of Singapore. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively S$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
20 million to S$30 million dollars and several times more expensive than any single flyover and tunnel project completed elsewhere in Singapore. It is one of the most complex as well due to the NEL tunnel
North East MRT Line
The North East MRT Line is the third Mass Rapid Transit line in Singapore and the world's second longest fully underground, automated and driverless, rapid transit line after Singapore's Circle MRT Line. The line is 20 km long with 16 stations and operated by SBS Transit. Travelling from one end...
beneath the interchange and a deep sewage tunnel which runs parallel to the expressway. Several buildings will be affected by the road widening and a portion of the former Serangoon Fire Station will have to be torn down.
Benefits
Once the upgrading project is completed, travel will be smoother between the eastEast Region, Singapore
The East Region of Singapore is one of the five regions in the city-state. It includes six urban planning areas. As its name implies, it is the easternmost region of Singapore.The land area is about 11,000 hectares.-Urban planning areas in East Region:...
and the city
Central Region, Singapore
The Central Region of Singapore is one of the five regions in the city-state. Comprising 13,150 hectares of land area, it includes 11 Planning Areas within the Central Area which is the immediate vicinity of the Singapore's central business district, as well as another 11 more outside it.Although...
; and the northeast
North-East Region, Singapore
The North-East Region of Singapore is one of the five regions in the city-state. It includes seven urban planning areas. As its name implies, it is located in the north-eastern part of Singapore.The land area is about 13,810 hectares....
and the city.
Traffic volume at the at-grade junction will also decrease allowing smoother traffic flow, especially for motorists entering Pan Island Expressway (westbound) from Upper Serangoon Road and MacPherson Road. The traffic capacity at this interchange will also increase to 11,000 vehicles per hour during peak hours.
See also
- Pan Island ExpresswayPan Island ExpresswayThe Pan Island Expressway is the oldest and longest of Singapore's expressways. Currently, it is also Singapore's longest road. It extends along the length of the island, connecting Tuas in the west to Singapore Changi Airport in the east. Its length is .-Construction:Construction of the PIE...
- Serangoon RoadSerangoonSerangoon is town situated in the central part of the city-state of Singapore, within the North-East Region. The Housing and Development Board housing estate of Serangoon New Town in Serangoon is one of the smaller new towns. Its town centre is known as Serangoon Central, and is the target of...
- Blueprint of Woodsville Interchange Upgrading project