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Easing traffic jams in Punggol, new link road opens on Nov 25

SINGAPORE — Punggol residents will get some respite from daily traffic congestion along busy sections of the neighbourhood, with a new link road connecting Punggol Central to Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) and Tampines Expressway (TPE) to open on Nov 25, almost a year ahead of schedule.

An artist's impression of a new link road connecting Punggol Central to Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) and Tampines Expressway (TPE). The road is set to open on Nov 25, 2018.

An artist's impression of a new link road connecting Punggol Central to Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) and Tampines Expressway (TPE). The road is set to open on Nov 25, 2018.

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SINGAPORE — Punggol residents will get some respite from daily traffic congestion along busy sections of the neighbourhood, with a new link road connecting Punggol Central to Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) and Tampines Expressway (TPE) to open on Nov 25, almost a year ahead of schedule.

Part of a two-phase expansion of the KPE/TPE interchange, the new road will provide an alternative route from Punggol Central to the two expressways, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in a press release on Thursday (Nov 8).

It will also help alleviate traffic congestion along Punggol East and the Punggol East Flyover, and along Punggol Road and Punggol Way via TPE (towards Pan-Island Expressway, PIE), as motorists travel from Punggol Town to KPE (towards East Coast Parkway, ECP) and TPE (PIE) during the morning rush hour.

During the evening peak hour, motorists returning home can bypass TPE (towards Seletar Expressway, SLE) and Punggol Road and Punggol Way to get to Punggol Central by using the new link road.

The first phase of the interchange expansion is expected to be fully completed by the second quarter of 2019, ahead of the original estimated date in the third quater of 2019, said the LTA. The project includes the construction of roads, three new vehicular bridges crossing Sungei Serangoon and Sungei Blukar, a new flyover across TPE, other associated ramps and drainage works.

Use of technologies such as virtual design and construction, building information modelling, and precast construction helped to mitigate safety risks, minimise impact to the environment, and increase time and manpower savings, said the LTA. This enabled the early completion of the new link road, and the technologies will be applied to the remaining phases of the project “to ensure continued efficiency and safety”.

Mr Yap Boon Leong, group director of road and commuter infrastructure development in LTA, said that the technologies allowed the project team to “reduce labour-intensive works, speed up our road construction process and streamline operations”.

The second-phase expansion of the KPE/TPE interchange is expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2021. It involves the construction of one vehicular bridge across Sungei Serangoon, new vehicular flyovers across TPE and KPE, a new road from Lorong Halus to Pasir Ris Industrial Drive 1, and associated drainage work.

The authority said that the fully completed KPE/TPE interchange will provide a more direct link to and from KPE, which will help alleviate traffic congestion at TPE between Punggol Way and KPE, and the access points of Punggol Town. It will also meet future traffic demands from developments in the area.

ROAD CHANGES IN PUNGGOL:

Three slip roads will be decommissioned from Nov 25, 4pm.

  • Temporary road linking Punggol East to KPE (ECP)

  • Section of link road from TPE Exit 7 leading to Lorong Halus

  • Slip road from KPE (TPE) exit to Lorong Halus

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