CTE Widening To Start On Monday

Source : The Business Times, 31 May 2008

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) will start widening the Central Expressway (CTE) between Ang Mo Kio Ave 1 and Ang Mo Kio Ave 3 from June 2.

The $16.9 million project will expand the road to four lanes each way from three. It is expected to be completed by the end of next year.

Owing to alignment and terrain limitations, only the southbound carriageway will be widened at first. Subsequently, the centre reservation will be shifted to increase the width of the northboundcarriageway.

To minimise traffic disruption, work will take place off the carriageway by day. When lane closures are necessary, this will only happen after 11 pm, and directional and information signs will be put up to guide motorists to alternative routes.

To eliminate the need for multi-stage traffic diversions during the construction of drainage culverts, a new pipe jacking method, costing 50 per cent more than the conventional cut-and-carry method, will be used.

Disturbance from the works will be managed with roadside hoardings made of acoustic noise-reduction blankets, and noise guards fitted on machinery and equipment.

LTA estimates that about 500 trees will be cut down as part of the project, but it has collaborated with the National Parks Board to do advance planting behind the trees to be felled. The new trees will help screen the works from housing beside the expressway.

The works will also involve replacing an existing pedestrian overhead bridge with a covered bridge with ramps and linkways leading directly to HDB blocks.

These works are the first phase in LTA's plan to widen the CTE between the Pan-Island Expressway and Yio Chu Kang Road to a dual four-lane carriageway by end-2011.

The move caters to anticipated population growth in Singapore's north-east corridor. Details of subsequent phases of the plan have yet to be finalised. They will be announced later this year.