TRAFFIC CONGESTION ALONG UPPER THOMSON CORRIDOR

Dr Chau Sik Ting asked the Minister for National Development whether his Ministry has plans to relieve the traffic congestion during peak hours at the junctions of Lornie/Thomson Roads and Upper Thomson/Braddell Roads which is expected to worsen with the development of Ang Mo Kio and Yishun New Towns.

Mr Teh Cheang Wan: Sir, the traffic congestion at the junctions of Lornie Road/Thomson Road and Upper Thomson Road/Braddell Road has been relieved since October 1979 by the opening of Marymount Road between Avenue 1 Ang Mo Kio and Thomson Road.

With the continuing development of Ang Mo Kio and Yishun New Towns, the travel demand along the Upper Thomson/Sembawang corridor will rise. To meet this demand, the Public Works Department will be constructing two Expressways, the Sembawang Expressway and the Central Expressway, linking Ang Mo Kio in the North to the Bukit Timah one-way pair in the South via the Keng Lee Road/Kampong Java Road one-way system.

Tenders for the Sembawang Expressway from Avenue 1, Ang Mo Kio to Jalan Toa Payoh will be invited in April 1981. Work will be completed by the end of 1982. Construction of the Central Expressway from Jalan Toa Payoh to Thomson Road is scheduled to commence in early 1982 and completed by the end of 1984.

These Expressways, together with other major arterial roads in the area, will be adequate to cater for the projected travel demand between Upper Thomson/Sembawang corridor and the City.

Dr Chau Sik Ting: Sir, for 15 years or more, residents of the Thomson Constituency have been inconvenienced by recurrent road-work connected with road-widening programmes and change of traffic system. These projects, however, turned out to be only short-term measures. The root cause is the bottleneck situation at the junctions mentioned in my Question. In spite of the opening of Marymount Road, the situation is still as bad as before.

I understand that there was a plan before 1965 to construct a flyover at the present Westlake Housing Estate which would have effectively solved the problems, in the view of many residents with whom I have discussed this subject. That, however, did not materialize.

Mr Speaker: Can the Member put his supplementary question, please.

Dr Chau Sik Ting: Although the Sembawang Expressway is being planned, will it be able to effectively cope with the expected increased volume of traffic generated with the full development of the adjacent New Towns? Would it specifically help reduce congestion along both Upper Thomson Road and Thomson Road? If not, are there any alternative plans?

Mr Teh Cheang Wan: Sir, according to the traffic engineer, the new Sembawang Expressway and the Central Expressway will have sufficient capacity to cope with the projected traffic in Ang Mo Kio and Yishun New Towns. Of course, with further development we will most probably have other means of transport to meet the increased traffic. I hope by then a decision on the MRT will have been made.