North–South Corridor, Singapore

North–South Corridor Koridor Utara-Selatan 南北运输走廊 வடக்கு-தெற்கு போக்குவரத்து தாழ்வாரம்
North - South Expressway is labelled in single violet line
Route information
Length	21.5 km (13.4 mi)
History	Construction begin in 2017, completion in 2023
Major junctions
North end	Admiralty Road West
	SLE, PIE, CTE, ECP
South end	ECP, Republic Avenue and Nicoll Highway
Highway system
Expressways of Singapore

The North–South Corridor (Abbreviation: NSC), originally conceptualised as the North-South Expressway, will be the 11th of Singapore's network of expressways when completed. The North South Corridor will serve increasing traffic along the north-south corridor that is currently served by the Central Expressway (CTE). This new expressway was announced on 30 January 2008 as part of a major review of Singapore's transport network by the Land Transport Authority (LTA). The 21 kilometres (13 mi) expressway would cost about S$7–8 billion when fully completed in 2023 as North-South Corridor and will connect the East Coast Parkway (ECP) with the northern parts of Singapore.^[1]

On 19 January 2011, the government gave the green light to build the expressway between Admiralty Road West and Toa Payoh Rise. On 15 November 2011, LTA unveiled the full alignment of the North-South Expressway. Construction works will commence in 2017, with an expected completion date of 2023.^[2][3] The North South Expressway will have a total of 16 entrances and 17 exits to connect towns along the north-south corridor—Woodlands, Sembawang, Yishun, Ang Mo Kio, Bishan and Toa Payoh—with the city centre. The NSE will also provide links to existing expressways, including the Seletar Expressway (SLE), Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) and East Coast Parkway (ECP).^[2]

While first conceptualised as a vehicular expressway to be finished in 2020, the corridor will now be built as the island's first "integrated transport corridor" featuring continuous bus lanes and cycling trunk routes, throughout the entire route of the expressway. According to the Land Transport Authority, the continuous bus lanes along the NSC would be able reduce bus travelling times from Woodlands, Sembawang, Yishun and Ang Mo Kio to the city by up to 30 minutes through morning and evening peak express bus services, and also make bus connections between residential towns along the NSC faster by allowing intra-town buses to leverage the ramps and bus lanes on the surface, A cycling path along the entire stretch of the highway will link up Park Connector Networks and the dedicated cycling path networks within HDB towns along the entire corridor to the city centre.^[4][5]

Route

In the final plan, the NSE will commence at Admiralty Road West in northern Singapore and proceed southwards along Woodlands Avenue 8, Gambas Avenue, Sembawang Road. It will join Lentor Ave and intersect the Seletar Expressway. Major bus stops will be equipped with lift lobbies at Lentor Avenue, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 6 and Marymount Road. It will also pass through the two military training areas - Lentor and Seletar East, both of which will be cleared by 2017. It will pass Toa Payoh Rise, join Thomson Road and Bukit Timah Road running parallel to the Central Expressway. The NSE will carry on along Ophir Road, joining the East Coast Parkway at its southern terminus. In addition, there will be new bus lanes and cycling lanes.

Some land has to be acquired by the government for the project. The Land Transport Authority tried to utilize state land as far as possible, reducing the number of private properties that have to be acquired. Despite much of the expressway running underground at its southern end, some land had to be taken because of existing Mass Rapid Transit tunnels, and also because the expressway had to be straight to maintain traffic speeds. One of the prominent landmarks that has to make way for the project is the Rochor Centre. Novena Square underpasses will also be demolished, and the former Ellison Building may be considered for demolition.^[6]

References