WIDENING OF LORONG CHUAN

Dr Lau Teik Soon asked the Minister for National Development and Communications if it is proposed to widen Lorong Chuan particularly from Braddell Road/Lorong Chuan junction to Lorong Kinchir in order to relieve the congestion along that stretch of road.

Dr Tan Eng Liang (for the Minister for National Development and Communications): Sir, peak hour congestion along Lorong Chuan, particularly the stretch between Avenue 1, Ang Mo Kio, and Braddell Road is caused primarily by traffic from Ang Mo Kio New Town and the many private housing estates off Lorong Chuan and Yio Chu Kang Road. This will be alleviated soon by: -

(i) the extension of Avenue 1, Ang Mo Kio, from Lorong Chuan to Boundary Road and construction of a new link road from Upper Paya Lebar Road to Plantation Avenue. These two roads would provide an alternative more direct route for traffic from Yio Chu Kang Road and Ang Mo Kio New Town to Upper Paya Lebar Road. City-bound traffic can therefore be expected to be partly diverted to these new roads. The projects are expected to be completed by December 1979;

(ii) The construction of the North-South Arterial Road between Thomson Road and Avenue 1, Ang Mo Kio, currently is scheduled to be completed by October 1979. When completed, an alternative high capacity road will be available linking Ang Mo Kio New Town with Thomson Road. Some of the traffic from Ang Mo Kio now using Lorong Chuan can be expected to divert to this new road.

In view of the above, there are no proposals to widen Lorong Chuan.