BALESTIER/WHAMPOA AREA (Traffic congestion)

Mr Sia Khoon Seong asked the Minister for National Development, in view of the worsening traffic congestion in the Balestier/Whampoa area, especially during peak hours, as a consequence of intensive private and public development in the area, whether his Ministry will take appropriate measures immediately to relieve the unbearable traffic congestion experienced everyday by residents in the vicinity.

Mr Teh Cheang Wan: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Public Works Department (PWD) is aware of the traffic conditions in the Balestier/whampoa area. It intends to widen Moulmein Road from Balestier Road to Thomson Road beginning 1982. This will be completed by 1983. Together with the road widening, the intersection at Balestier Road/Moulmein Road will be improved with additional road capacity.

Meanwhile, the PWD will implement interim traffic management measures to help ease the traffic flow in the area. First, the short stretch of Kim Keat Road linking Jalan Bahagia with Jalan Toa Payoh will be expunged when Jalan Toa Payoh is upgraded to form part of the Pan Island Expressway in 1982. The expunction will prevent external traffic taking short-cuts through the Whampoa area, i.e. from Towner Road to Jalan Toa Payoh and from Jalan Toa Payoh to Balestier Road, thus adding to traffic congestion. Traffic conditions along Jalan Bahagia and Kim Keat Road will therefore improve.

Secondly, PWD will in July 1981 prohibit right-hand turns from Whampoa Drive into Balestier Road. This will improve the main traffic flow out of Whampoa Drive and from Balestier Road into Whampoa Drive. The traffic signal timings at the Balestier Road intersections with Whampoa Drive and Kim Keat Road will be linked and synchronized to enable smoother traffic flow.

The light traffic presently turning right from Whampoa Drive into Balestier Road con use Whampoa Road and Kim Keat Road to turn right into Balestier Road.