UPPER THOMSON ROAD/LORNIE ROAD FLYOVER

Mr Leong Horn Kee asked the Minister for National Development whether he will provide details of the proposed Upper Thomson Road/Lornie Road Flyover, including information on (i) the expected improvements in traffic flow; (ii) the schedule of work and expected completion date; and (iii) the existing structures that will be affected and what plans will be made for them.

Mr Teh Cheang Wan: The project involves the construction of a 700 m dual 3-lane flyover to carry traffic between Lornie Road and Upper Thomson Road over the existing Thomson/Braddell and Thomson/Lornie Road junctions. The flyover would stretch from the vicinity of MacRitchie Reservoir car park at Lornie Road to the vicinity of the Little Sisters of the Poor at the Upper Thomson Road end. The existing roads around the area would also be realigned to accommodate the flyover structures. Two pedestrian overhead bridges would be constructed to replace the existing ones affected by the project. A new underpass with ramps would also be built to provide for pedestrians crossing near the Little Sisters of the Poor.

Recent surveys carried out by the Public Works Department (PWD) indicate that the peak hour traffic volumes at the junction of Thomson Road, Lornie Road and Braddell Road are well in excess of the designed capacities of these junctions. During the peak periods, the traffic flow is heaviest between Upper Thomson Road and Lornie Road. Traffic counts show that the morning and evening peak volumes between these two roads are 2,550 and 2,110 vehicles per hour respectively. The volume of traffic at the junction area is expected to increase much further with additional housing and industrial estate developments in the north eastern sector of Singapore. According to traffic forecast, the average morning and evening peak hour traffic through the junction area would increase by an average of 36% from the present 9,150 vehicles per hour to 12,920 per hour by 1990. Severe congestion can be expected if a flyover is not provided.

The flyover, when constructed, will have a capacity of about 1,500 vehicles per hour per lane. Tenders for the project were called on 16 August 1985 and will close on 14 November 1985. The Public Works Department expects to award the contract by February 1986. The project will take 20 months to complete and the flyover can, therefore, be expected to be operational by October 1987.

In planning the alignment for the flyover, PWD has given due consideration to avoid existing structures as much as possible and to minimise acquisition of private lands. However, due to constraints imposed by the width and geometrics of the flyover and ground system, the drivers' quarters of the Little Sisters of the Poor and two temples, one along Upper Thomson Road, the other along Lornie Road, have to be demolished. The Little Sisters of the Poor will be appropriately compensated for the loss of the drivers' quarters. PWD is arranging with the Resettlement Department for the clearance and the resettlement of the two temples. In addition, lands on the slopes of the Mount Alvernia Hospital grounds abutting Braddell Road and the forecourt of the Shell Service Station at Lornie Road would be acquired, The operation of the Hospital and the Service Station should not be affected.