Cutting it close

I’ve always been fascinated by this nondescript building next to Aljunied MRT Station on the East West Line.

Ending just a couple of metres from the MRT station, the row of shophouses lining Lorong 25A Geylang is perhaps the closest building next to an aboveground MRT station in Singapore. At platform level, the third floor of the building looks close enough to jump from the tracks.

Before the East West Line was laid down in the 1980s, Lorong 25 and Lorong 25A Geylang were connected to each other. Below is a 1984 street directory map of the area, with the connection between the two roads in the red box.

The same area in 2021 is indicated by a red box below.

Credit: Singapore Land Authority.

The link between Lorong 25 and Lorong 25A has been expunged, together with the buildings that used to lie along the road. It is possible that Lorong 25A itself was spared, hence the closeness of its row of shophouses to Aljunied MRT Station today.

Newer MRT lines such as the North East, Circle, Downtown, and Thomson-East Coast lines are entirely underground. However, the upcoming Jurong Region Line, with 24 stations due to open from 2027, will be aboveground. Let’s see if there is a building closer to any of these stations.

Pedestrianised Woodlands Ring Road

In February, part of Woodlands Ring Road in the north of the island was pedestrianised for a six-month trial.

The stretch between Woodlands Drive 63 and Woodlands Drive 71 was converted into two parts - the westbound lane was completely closed to motor traffic, while the eastbound lane was reserved for buses and emergency vehicles only.

The partial pedestrianisation of Woodlands Ring Road comes after the Transport Ministry set out plans in August last year to re-imagine Singapore’s road infrastructure, by converting certain under-used road lanes into cycling and bus lanes, as well as pedestrianising certain roads.

Credit: The Straits Times.

It is part of Singapore’s ongoing push to go car-lite, and promote walking and cycling. Other car-lite projects include the pedestrianisation of Bencoolen Street in the city. In 2019, about 60m of Fusionopolis Way road in one-north business park was converted into a pedestrianised street on a trial basis.

The LTA said the trial in Woodlands will give residents and students from nearby schools, including Minds Woodlands Gardens School, Woodlands Ring Primary and Secondary Schools as well as Spectra Secondary School, more space to walk and cycle.

“This will also make access to Kampung Admiralty, Admiralty MRT station and other amenities more convenient for pedestrians,” it added.

The LTA said it will engage the community to seek feedback and suggestions on the project, and the temporary modifications to the road layout will only be made permanent if the public supports the move.

As the six-month trial was ending this month, I visited the pedestrianised stretch of road today.

The junction with Woodlands Drive 63.

It felt good walking freely on a road that’s normally reserved for motor vehicles!

This stretch was chosen for the trial because of relatively low vehicular traffic; turns out pedestrian traffic was low too. Not many joined me on the road; some even kept to the pavements.

It was a short stretch, only around 200 metres, and my leisurely stroll lasted less than 10 minutes.

Approaching the junction with Woodlands Drive 71.

The junction with Woodlands Drive 71.

Despite the short length of road, that’s still quite a fair bit of land freed up. If the pedestrianisation becomes permanent, there’s so much potential for community activities, such as bazaars, performances, exhibitions, and alfresco dining.

I hope more of such under-utilised stretches of road are pedestrianised, not just in Woodlands, but in towns all over Singapore.

Saving Dover Forest

The plan for Dover Forest has been revised, with public housing expected to be launched in the eastern half next year while the western half is set aside for now to preserve its biodiversity.

The young secondary forest plot in western Singapore is zoned for residential use, but the plans were tweaked after scientific studies and nature enthusiasts flagged its conservation value.

To balance the country’s needs for both housing and nature, only the eastern half of the 33ha site - almost eight times the size of the Padang - will be developed in the nearer term.

The plan is to develop about 11ha of land in the eastern half for public housing projects. The first of the flats there are expected to be launched in the second half of next year, said the Housing Board on Friday (July 30).

The development of the area, which is located in the mature estate of Queenstown, will be done sensitively and also feature 5ha of greenery - including a park with a natural stream.

The western half of the site will be set aside for now and relooked at in about a decade, HDB added. But parts of this segment, which is richer in biodiversity than the eastern half, will be carved out and safeguarded as a nature park.

Credit: The Straits Times.

Minister for National Development Desmond Lee said on Wednesday during a media conference: “HDB had originally intended to launch the entire parcel, known (also) as Ulu Pandan vegetated area or Ulu Pandan Forest, for public housing to meet pressing needs for public housing in the near term. But we have decided to review it and refine it.”

This decision was made after feedback from members of the public and the findings of two separate scientific studies.

The first study, commissioned by HDB to inventory the wildlife on the site, had found that the western part of it was richer in biodiversity, comprising more large trees and threatened species.

The second study by the National Parks Board, in consultation with experts, modelled how the Dover plot connects with other forests in Singapore.

This exercise had shown that the site was an important stepping stone for wildlife moving in from the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve north of the site, as well as from the vegetation in the Southern Ridges further down.

These factors informed plans for the site.

While other development projects have incorporated green features before, these elements are usually included on an individual-project basis.

This is the first time vegetation on a site is being safeguarded via a broader landscape approach, in a way that will allow the plot to serve as a stepping stone for wildlife moving from other forests...

Originally, the whole of Dover Forest was to be developed for housing. Now, part of Dover Forest West will be carved out for a nature park, while the rest of Dover Forest West will be set aside for 10 years. Most of Dover Forest East (below) will be developed.

I guess that’s progress.

It also gives me hope that ultimately, other endangered places of natural heritage in Singapore, such as Bukit Brown, can be conserved.

My posts on Dover Forest West and East.