Marymount junction to be turned into roundabout to expedite North-South Corridor works

[Blueray]

Marymount junction to be turned into roundabout to expedite North-South Corridor works

SINGAPORE - A busy traffic junction near Marymount Community Club will be turned into a signalised roundabout for about a year, from April 30 until the second quarter of 2024.

This will allow construction of the upcoming North-South Corridor (NSC), which will include underground road tunnels located beneath the junction, to be carried out at a faster pace, the authorities said.

In a notice to residents dated March 30, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said the signalised roundabout, akin to that at Newton Circus, will be constructed at the existing cross junction of Marymount Road, Sin Ming Avenue and Bishan Street 22.

The cross junction will be reinstated once the temporary roundabout has served its purpose.

Road works for the roundabout will be carried out in the day and at night until April 30. These include the installation of traffic lights and the diversion of existing footpaths and pedestrian crossings in the area.

“We seek your kind understanding that intermittent noise and dust may arise during the works,” LTA said in its notice, adding that there will also be lane closures during this time.

Temporary barricades and directional signs will be set up to warn motorists of the traffic changes and guide pedestrians in using the new footpaths and pedestrian crossings, LTA said.

It added: “We will work with our contractor on the necessary mitigation measures to minimise the inconveniences.”

In response to queries, LTA said regular users of the affected junction are being given ample notice, with notifications put up a month ahead of time at all four approaches towards the intersection, as well as at roads farther away such as Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 and Ang Mo Kio Avenue 6.

Auxiliary police officers will be deployed to guide motorists through the new roundabout during the transition period, LTA added.

Asked why it decided to convert the cross junction, LTA said a roundabout is the most optimal traffic scheme as it minimises disruption and disamenities while creating sufficient space for tunnel works underground.

The alternative would be to have several stages of traffic diversion around the junction, which would extend the duration of the construction work and prolong the impact on motorists and pedestrians, an LTA spokesman said.

She added: “We will monitor the traffic flow after the reconfiguration closely and, if necessary, make further adjustments to traffic light timings and phasing to improve traffic flow.”

While roundabouts were once common in Singapore, there are only a handful of them remaining, and even fewer with traffic lights to control the flow of vehicles.

Besides Newton Circus, other signalised roundabouts here include the one below Tuas Flyover.

LTA has converted traffic junctions into roundabouts before to facilitate construction. In 1996, the junction of Holland Road, Farrer Road and Queensway was turned into a signalised roundabout for a year to allow the building of an underpass there.

It is also not the first time that a major traffic junction has been reconfigured to make room for NSC works.

In 2020, changes were made to the junction between Thomson, Newton and Moulmein roads in Novena, drawing complaints from motorists and commuters about the resulting inconveniences and traffic snarls.

These junctions were reconfigured again in 2022 to accommodate the next phase of NSC construction works.

Mr Calvin Ong, 20, passes the Marymount Road junction five to six times a week during his commute by bus or car. The part-time cinema cashier said the roundabout would likely increase travelling time, especially at the start when users are unfamiliar with the changes.

“It may be more inconvenient to walk around the place if there are a lot of changes, like closed paths or different paths,” he added.

Business owner Eugene Tan, 49, drives through the junction on weekends when running errands. He takes the MRT to work.

“I’m guessing the daily commute will be smoother at that junction if (it is) used safely and responsibly,” the Bishan resident said.

The key is for motorists to give way to others and slow down before entering the roundabout, he said, suggesting that speed bumps or other safety features be installed.

When completed from 2027 onwards, the 21.5km NSC promises to cut travel time from Woodlands, Sembawang, Yishun and Ang Mo Kio to the city by up to 30 minutes, and alleviate traffic along the Central Expressway.

Starting in Admiralty Road West and ending in East Coast Parkway near Republic Boulevard, the project mainly comprises an 8.8km expressway viaduct in the north and 12.3km of underground road tunnels in the south.

The surface roads along the NSC will be repurposed to feature dedicated bus lanes, a cycling trunk route and pedestrian paths, LTA said. This will create safer, more pleasant streets in neighbourhoods and support greener modes of transport, it added.

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/marymount-junction-to-be-turned-into-roundabout-to-expedite-north-south-corridor-works

 

有意思 ... 

[inlinesix]

This is the stupid setup

Signalised Roundabout.

[kobayashiGT]

Our roads design is going backwards. hahahaha.  

[13177]

On 4/17/2023 at 10:03 AM, inlinesix said:

This is the stupid setup

Signalised Roundabout.

Signalised Roundabout? Like Newton Cirus lo.

Anyway, eversince the construction of the North-South Corridor, those roads have been in a mess and road condition at the construction area very bad. Like the area along Thomson Rd, near the Novena Square, super messy.

[Soya]

Can LTA first fix our third world bumpy roads n countless potholes first?
 

[Maxus-MIFA9]

On 4/17/2023 at 10:03 AM, inlinesix said:

This is the stupid setup

Signalised Roundabout.

Then how to achieve high COE and erect more ERP Gantries ..... 

[Blueray]

if marymount traffic jam after signalised junction implemented, next will be ...

 

[Watwheels]

Great. Why do they like roundabouts so much? Cars and lorries tend do exit the roundabouts recklessly from lanes that are not on the left.

There are several of them in Tuas. Sebei messy during peak hours.

[Maxus-MIFA9]

On 4/17/2023 at 10:15 AM, Soya said:

Can LTA first fix our third world bumpy roads n countless potholes first?
 

Cannot .....  

Next to complain will be our spare parts companies of no business for shock absorbers & coil springs if our roads are all smooth .... 

 

[Maxus-MIFA9]

On 4/17/2023 at 10:25 AM, Watwheels said:

Great. Why do they like roundabouts so much? Cars and lorries tend do exit the roundabouts recklessly from lanes that are not on the left.

There are several of them in Tuas. Sebei messy during peak hours.

Help insurance companies caused by kuku drivers.... 

 

[Watwheels]

On 4/17/2023 at 10:28 AM, Picnic06-Biante15 said:

Help insurance companies caused by kuku drivers.... 

 

Drivers not familiar with the road changes will make drastic moves. After the one year using the roundabout driver familiarized already they change again. It is as good as catching worms and put into the butthole.

[Lotr]

With this roundabout, I will avoid that road as much as possible.  

[Inlinefour]

first world pricing 

 

 

 

with

 

 

third world standard   

[Scion]

roundabouts have become few and uncommon in Singapore, to the extent that many drivers are not familiar with the rules like who to give way

even after they had studied it for the theory test

[Heartlander]

My thoughts are different. I have been using the Newton Roundabout for a few times every week and feel it is a good design generally. Firstly the traffic lights control the movement of the vehicles and really work well to eliminate the guessing part on the drivers on when to move. Thus newbie drivers would also know how to navigate the junction well. And there are CLEAR markings on the road on how to go into the lanes ahead, only rarely can see drivers sotong move into wrong lanes. But as usual, always open eyes big big when going through roundabouts lah.

[Blueray]

for roundabouts, have to follow the lane markings diligently. 

unfortunately, many SG drivers are looking at handphones and not on lane markings.

sin ming panel beaters gonna huat big time. 

 

[Fitvip]

On 4/17/2023 at 10:13 AM, kobayashiGT said:

Our roads design is going backwards. hahahaha.  

Retro ma!🤐👎

[Jamesc]

Roundabouts don't work in SG because of Ai Mai Ai Mai

scared scared panic then cheong drivers.

A lot of drivers in SG see a big gap dare not pull out.

Then they get kancheong and when the car almost reach will panic and pull out.

The poor car coming will jam brake and if lucky miss the kancheong spider

but if not in time kenna bang.

Then there will be a big traffic jam.

Its like like merging lanes its doesn't work.

The car in front will stupidly drive really slow and keep to one side.

The car behind cannot help but accelerate to cut in front

and the car in front now will buay song and accelerate to cut off the overtaking car.

Either the car behind will jam brake in time or crash in the merging lane.