TRAFFIC CONGESTION ALONG EAST COAST PARKWAY

Mr Teo Chong Tee asked the Minister for National Development whether an interim measure will be taken to enable a free flow of vehicular traffic from Benjamin Sheares Bridge to the East Coast Parkway (ECP) between 4.30 pm and 6.30 pm from Mondays to Fridays and from 12.30 pm to 2.00 pm on Saturdays (except public holidays), pending the completion of the flyover at the Fort Road/ECP junction.

Dr Lee Boon Yang (for the Minister for National Development): Mr Speaker, Sir, the traffic congestion along East Coast Parkway during the evening peak hours and on Saturday afternoons is caused by the signalized traffic junction at ECP and Fort Road. Work is in progress to replace it with a flyover by the first quarter of 1990. The traffic lights at Fort Road junction are already adjusted to give maximum green time to the traffic along the East Coast Parkway. On the average, a motorist will take about 5 minutes to clear the traffic lights during the peak hours.

The traffic congestion is still tolerable. There is no need to take the more drastic interim measure of removing the traffic signal and barring right turns to and from Fort Road at this junction.