Residents propose ramp, lift for new Balestier Road bridge

SINGAPORE — For McNair Road resident Pang Kin Guan, the nearby pedestrian overhead bridge along Balestier Road — which was removed late last week after an excavator arm crashed into it — afforded him convenient access to the bus stop across the road. 

However, in the wake of Friday’s (July 21) accident, which left the bridge in a “dangerous” state and forced the removal of the entire bridge beam, the retired taxi driver has had “no choice” but to use the nearest bridge, which is about a 2.5-minute walk away, to hop on a bus towards places such as Thomson and Ang Mo Kio. 

“We’ve no choice but to walk a few more steps. If not, we can’t cross the road,” the 70-year-old told TODAY.

Like Mr Pang, residents living near the damaged bridge said its absence had brought some inconvenience. 

A McNair Road resident of eight years, who wanted to be known only as Madam Yee, 49, noted that the area surrounding the bridge is a “mature estate”, with a sizeable number of elderly residents.

Hence, the interior designer hopes that, rather than replacing the damaged bridge, the authorities could consider a signalised pedestrian or zebra crossing. 

But if the bridge were to be rebuilt, Madam Yee called for a lift to be installed for the benefit of elderly users.

Agreeing, Madam Linda Dang, 53, who lives in nearby Whampoa Drive, suggested that a lift or ramp would ease things for elderly users. She said the bridge was popular with the elderly and children, who used it to get to places such as the Civil Service Club on Tessensohn Road, which is across the street.

Another McNair Road resident, who did not want to be named, said he used to take the bridge every morning to get to work at Race Course Road. 

Now, he simply jumps across the road divider to reach the other side, something “a lot” of people resort to early in the morning now, said the salesman. “(We have to) just be careful ourselves,” he said.

The excavator that smashed into the bridge around 9.30pm last Friday was being ferried on the back of a low-loader trailer in the direction of Thomson Road, based on photos and accounts posted on social media.

The 57-year-old driver and his 59-year-old supervisor, understood to be Noor Khalam Aman and Ng Boon Tong respectively, were arrested. The driver’s licence was also suspended immediately.

The impact of the collision dislodged one end of the bridge beam from the central support. No one was hurt and police investigations are in progress.