LTA completes 200km worth of sheltered walkways under S$300m

[Theoldjaffa]

1.5million per km of walkway. That's just... WOW.

 

SINGAPORE: When it poured, some Fajar Secondary School students were late for school while waiting out the rain at void decks or at bus stops.

 

Others turned up at school soaking wet, having run the distance that's not covered by sheltered walkways.

 

But since sheltered walkways leading to the school gate were built this year, the school in Bukit Panjang has seen more students turning up on time on rainy days, said its vice principal.

 

The walkways are part of 200km worth of sheltered walkways that have been built in the past five years under the Land Transport Authority's (LTA) Walk2Ride programme.

LTA announced on Saturday (Sep 15) that a milestone in the programme has been completed, at a cost of S$300 million.

 

"Where feasible, walkways have been built to schools, healthcare facilities and other public amenities within a 400-metre radius of MRT stations, and within a 200-metre radius of bus interchanges, LRT stations and selected bus stops with high commuter volumes," said LTA.

 

Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/sheltered-walkways-lta-completes-construction-10724514

[RH1667]

1.5million per km of walkway. That's just... WOW.

 

SINGAPORE: When it poured, some Fajar Secondary School students were late for school while waiting out the rain at void decks or at bus stops.

 

Others turned up at school soaking wet, having run the distance that's not covered by sheltered walkways.

 

But since sheltered walkways leading to the school gate were built this year, the school in Bukit Panjang has seen more students turning up on time on rainy days, said its vice principal.

 

The walkways are part of 200km worth of sheltered walkways that have been built in the past five years under the Land Transport Authority's (LTA) Walk2Ride programme.

LTA announced on Saturday (Sep 15) that a milestone in the programme has been completed, at a cost of S$300 million.

 

"Where feasible, walkways have been built to schools, healthcare facilities and other public amenities within a 400-metre radius of MRT stations, and within a 200-metre radius of bus interchanges, LRT stations and selected bus stops with high commuter volumes," said LTA.

 

Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/sheltered-walkways-lta-completes-construction-10724514

Construction cost nowadays really kept up with mini star salaries!

[13177]

Made of gold-plated walkway. 

[SuPerBoRed]

Very tempted to know.. of the 300mil spent.. how much went into actual construction costs... n how much into ‘’supervisory’’ work...

[DACH]

Sad, people nowadays don't know how to use umbrella already.

[Vratenza]

Smells of this.... Literally and figuratively... 

 

 

 

The Auditor General’s Office Report recently rapped the National Arts Council (NAC) for spending $410,000 in consultancy fees to construct a $470,000 rubbish bin centre.

NAC which was then under the Ministry of Information, Communications and Arts is now part of the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY). MCCY explaining the “exceptionally high” consultancy fee said that when approval was sought to draw down the funds, it did not use the normal method (a percentage of the construction cost), but benchmarked the fee for building the bin centre against other more complex projects, which was why the fee was high.

It further said: “the construction of the bin centre for this project was more complex and required significantly more design expertise, technical consultancy services and effort to coordinate with multiple parties.” The Ministry pledged to adopt the normal method to assess consultancy fees in future development projects.

Netizens had asked MCCY to be more transparent with the public about how complex the construction of NAC’s bin centre really was.

MCCY replied to netizens calls for greater transparency in the Government’s Factually website and said that the rubbish bin centre was “part of redevelopment for the Civic District which is an important cultural and heritage area for Singapore.”

The Ministry went on to explain why the project was complex and complicated, and said that it was not a “simple bin centre to be built” because there were three stakeholders involved in the project – Asian Civilisation Museum, Victoria Theatre and Victoria Concert Hall.

It did not however explain why the consultancy fee was almost as much as the cost of constructing the rubbish bin centre. It also did not explain if it had sought different quotations for the job and if any other consultants had quoted a lower price for the project.

The Government’s clarification on the topic is here: https://www.gov.sg/factually/content/why-is-a-centralised-nac-bin-centre-needed.

While the Government blustered netizens with its reply on the cost of the rubbish bin, a parody Twitter handle spoofing the rubbish bin centre has been created. The Tweeter ‘Bin Centre NAC’ tagline reads: “The world’s first tweeting Bin Centre. $470,000 only. Totally worth the price tag.” In a few short days since being created, the Twitter account already has 100 followers.

 

 

 

 

[Atrecord]

$300m can build how many HDB blocks huh?

 

 

 

 

[Kb27]

1.5million per km of walkway. That's just... WOW.

 

SINGAPORE: When it poured, some Fajar Secondary School students were late for school while waiting out the rain at void decks or at bus stops.

 

Others turned up at school soaking wet, having run the distance that's not covered by sheltered walkways.

 

But since sheltered walkways leading to the school gate were built this year, the school in Bukit Panjang has seen more students turning up on time on rainy days, said its vice principal.

 

The walkways are part of 200km worth of sheltered walkways that have been built in the past five years under the Land Transport Authority's (LTA) Walk2Ride programme.

LTA announced on Saturday (Sep 15) that a milestone in the programme has been completed, at a cost of S$300 million.

 

"Where feasible, walkways have been built to schools, healthcare facilities and other public amenities within a 400-metre radius of MRT stations, and within a 200-metre radius of bus interchanges, LRT stations and selected bus stops with high commuter volumes," said LTA.

 

Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/sheltered-walkways-lta-completes-construction-10724514

 

cheaper to give students free umbrellas.

 

[macrosszero]

Consider that people regularly pay $200-300 per foot run for carpentry at home, which works out to $700-900 per meter, the covered linkway works out to $1,500 per meter for a steel structure that is weatherproof and structurally certified, for public use.

[Victor68]

I fully support the idea of covered walkway. However, i hope we have been prudent in ensuring we keep cost low, no unnecessary design that is not practical and costly to build, considering maintenance, and good planning so that they don't have to be remove within months after construction for other works.

[Redmouthfish]

Consider that people regularly pay $200-300 per foot run for carpentry at home, which works out to $700-900 per meter, the covered linkway works out to $1,500 per meter for a steel structure that is weatherproof and structurally certified, for public use.

 

Very good comparison!

 

I think Singapore is the only country in the world where you can walk out of your house, to MRT/bus-stop, and to your destination without getting wet on raining days. In terms of cost-vs-benefit, definitely is a thumbs up.

Edited September 18, 2018 by Redmouthfish

[Mustank]

Consider that people regularly pay $200-300 per foot run for carpentry at home, which works out to $700-900 per meter, the covered linkway works out to $1,500 per meter for a steel structure that is weatherproof and structurally certified, for public use.

These walkways are about 3m across, I think.

 

Land size is 200km * 3m = 200,000 * 3 = 600,000 meter square

300M / 600,000 meter square = $5 per meter square

If really is like that count, $5sqm is damn cheap

Edited September 18, 2018 by Mustank

[Kopites]

i am all for covered walkway.

 

Not only children there are elders that will benefit.

 

now the next stage is to step up enforcemwnt on those smokers. keep our walkway free of smoke.

[Theoldjaffa]

Consider that people regularly pay $200-300 per foot run for carpentry at home, which works out to $700-900 per meter, the covered linkway works out to $1,500 per meter for a steel structure that is weatherproof and structurally certified, for public use.

 

thanks for the info! that puts things in perspective.

 

building covered linkways for the good of Singaporeans, it is a very good initiative and I fully appreciate that.

 

However, at a face value cost of 1.5m per km, there is skepticism because of the rubbish bin saga..

 

like what @victor68 mentioned, i hope this 300m is spent prudently and not a significant portion of it to "consultancy fees".

[macrosszero]

thanks for the info! that puts things in perspective.

 

building covered linkways for the good of Singaporeans, it is a very good initiative and I fully appreciate that.

 

However, at a face value cost of 1.5m per km, there is skepticism because of the rubbish bin saga..

 

like what @victor68 mentioned, i hope this 300m is spent prudently and not a significant portion of it to "consultancy fees".

 

Its fine to be skeptical but don't anyhow join the tin foil hat brigade. 

[Jamesc]

I want to be a consultant.

 

[BanCoe]

Sad, people nowadays don't know how to use umbrella already.

Forget about that people here don’t want to bring own shopping bags when they go marketing or shopping for that fact ..... so much of plastic waste

 

Next Gen will demand AirCon shelters next

[Mustank]

These walkways are about 3m across, I think.

 

Land size is 200km * 3m = 200,000 * 3 = 600,000 meter square

300M / 600,000 meter square = $5 per meter square

If really is like that count, $5sqm is damn cheap

I count wrong again

300,000,000$ / 600,000 = $500 per meter square

$500/sqm is cheap or expensive I don’t know