WIDENING OF UPPER SERANGOON ROAD (Kangkar-Tampines Road)

Mr Ng Kah Ting asked the Minister for National Development whether his Ministry has plans to widen that stretch of Upper Serangoon Road from Kangkar to the junction of Upper Serangoon Road and Tampines Road in view of the fact that Hougang Neighbourhoods 1, 11 and Ill are in various stages of construction and that this particular stretch of road will have to carry a higher volume of traffic.

Mr Lee Yock Suan (for the Minister for National Development): Mr Speaker, Sir, presently my Ministry has no plan to widen the stretch of Upper Serangoon Road from Kangkar to Tampines Road as the existing traffic condition along this road is still satisfactory.

To cope with the expected increase in traffic from Hougang Neighbourhoods 1, 11 and 111, the Housing and Development Board is constructing Hougang Avenue 3 which, together with the Airport Link, will provide access from Hougang to the Pan-Island Expressway and the Geylang area.

This access road will be completed by July 1983. In addition, Hougang Avenue 3 will also be linked to Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 via Hougang Avenue 2 by mid-84. This will link Hougang New Town to the Central Expressway and Ang Mo Kio New Town. These new access roads will help to divert traffic away from Upper Serangoon Road.