Cross Island MRT line

The Cross Island MRT line (CRL) is a planned Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line in Singapore. It is currently under planning and evaluation^[1] and will be the eighth MRT line when built.^[2]

The line will begin from Changi, passing through Loyang, Pasir Ris, Hougang, Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Timah, Clementi, West Coast before terminating at Jurong Industrial Estate.

History

The line was first announced by the Land Transport Authority on 17 January 2013.^[3] Studies on the Cross Island line began on May 2013.^[4]

There has been a controversy over the alignment of the line's Bukit Timah stretch as it appears to cut through part of the Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR) and MacRitchie Reservoir, although the Land Transport Authority insisted that the alignment of the line was not finalised as soil investigations and feasibility studies have yet to be conducted.^[5]

Overview

Targeted to be completed by 2030, it will offer East-West commuters an alternative to the existing East West line and Downtown line. It will also connect to all the other major lines to serve as a key transfer line, complementing the role currently fulfilled by the orbital Circle line.^[6]

The eastern leg of the line will include a segment that branches out from Pasir Ris and extends into Punggol.^[1]

Besides linking residents to jobs, the line will serve the upcoming "creative cluster and learning corridor" in Punggol, which will include the Singapore Institute of Technology's new campus.

In addition to the previously announced alignment of the CRL, the LTA is studying about linking the CRL to connect to the future Changi Airport Terminal 5 and also Aviation Park development.^[7][8]

Alignment controversy

Central catchment area in Singapore

Since its announcement on 17 January 2013, there has been a controversy over the alignment of the line's Bukit Timah stretch as it appears to cut through part of the Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR) and MacRitchie Reservoir, hence prompting the Nature Society Singapore to call for a change in the alignment of the line, although the Land Transport Authority insisted that the alignment of the line was not finalised as soil investigations and feasibility studies have yet to be conducted until an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was commissioned to study the impact the line would have on the natural habitats of the reserve. Various stakeholders, including nature and environmental groups, will be engaged and consulted to ensure that their views and concerns are accommodated as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment study. On 19 July 2013, the NSS has put forward, in a position paper, two proposed alternative alignments for this stretch of the Cross Island line. The LTA claims that none of the trees or plants (vegetation) above the ground will be affected.^[9] On September 11, 2013, studies about the Cross Island line's alignment under the CCNR were to commence in 2014.^[10]

The proposed alignments include a northern route that would run close to the Thomson line, heading west towards Mandai, Sungei Kadut and Gali Batu before terminating at Choa Chu Kang, which will be an interchange to the North South line, Bukit Panjang LRT and the upcoming Jurong Region line. The other route will run along Lornie Road and was cited to "add 1.7 kilometres to 2 kilometres to the Cross Island line, and an estimated four minutes' additional travel time. It would present an opportunity to serve residents near Adam Road and visitors to the MacRitchie Reservoir Park", running almost parallel to the stretch of the Circle line from Marymount to Botanic Gardens. However, engineers noted that "it may still be possible to construct the tunnels along the original proposed route without disturbing the nature reserve, but this must be examined in detail" and that a "straight rail line is better and cheaper from the engineering and operations point of view".^[11]

On February 24 2014, the LTA called for a tender to assess the environmental impact of the line, targeted for completion by 2016. The study will help to facilitate in the subsequent civil works for the line.^[12]

On 3 July 2014, the LTA appointed Environmental Resources Management (S) Pte Ltd (ERM) to conduct the EIA for the section of the line around and through the nature reserve. The work started immediately and targeted to complete in 2016. The works will include studying the ecosystem and physical conditions along both the straight and skirting alignments, as well as assessing how construction and operation of the line would affect the CCNR.^[13] The LTA is still studying all options and the final alignment will only be announced near the completion date.

On October 19, 2017, the soil tests for determining the CRL's alignment along the CCNR were announced to be nearing completion.The soil tests will help engineers determine the soil and rock profile under Singapore's largest nature reserve, started in February and have been watched closely, especially by environmental groups who are urging the Government not to build the MRT line under the Central Catchment Nature Reserve. "The works are expected to be completed by the end of this year," said the LTA.^[14]

On March 20, 2018, the LTA declared that the release of the findings on the environmental impact of drilling and other initial works that have been done to assess if the Cross Island MRT line can be built under the Central Catchment Nature Reserve would be completed later that year. The investigation works, which were completed in 2017, will help decipher the final decision on the alignment of the CRL.^[15]

Possible future express services

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has expressed interest in the implementation of possible express services on the CRL in future, apart from having just normal services.^[16] This express service would benefit commuters during the morning peak hours as trains would stop at only the interchanges and skip the remaining stations, hence, reducing travel time greatly.^[16] The plan is currently under feasibility studies and more details would be released once the studies are complete.^[16]

References

External links

• Cross Island Line