Construction begins on 6 Cross Island Line Phase 2 stations; targeted for 2032 completion

CNA

7 days ago

SINGAPORE: Construction work for the six stations of Phase 2 of the Cross Island Line (CRL) has started and is targeted for completion by 2032, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said on Monday (Jul 7).
Of the six underground stations, two will be interchange stations - Clementi and King Albert Park - they will connect commuters to the East-West Line and Downtown Line (DTL) respectively.
The other four stations are Turf City, Maju, West Coast and Jurong Lake District, which are working names.
The second CRL phase (CRL2) will extend the 29km long Phase 1 of the CRL by another 15km westwards.
Speaking to the media on Monday at the groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the future CRL Clementi Station, Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow said that the most important function of the CRL is to 'significantly increase the resilience of our rail network'.
He said that when the MRT network was first built, the first few lines took residents from their areas of residence to the city.
'But if you wanted to travel from one HDB estate to another … one had to take the train all the way to the city, change lines, and then go in the opposite direction to your destinations,' said Mr Siow.
He said that the Circle Line built in 2009 was Singapore's first 'orbital line' which connected the older lines to each other.
This was a 'game changer' that opened up many new travel routes and gave commuters multiple ways to get to the same destination.
The CRL will be the 'next orbital line', with eight of the 21 CRL stations being interchanges.
This means that commuters will have more routes to their destinations, and it also helps to 'absorb the impact of service disruptions'.
'As a new benefit, it will open up new windows for maintenance, because as our rail network expands and ages, more maintenance and renewal works will be needed,' he said.
Such works could at some point be scheduled not just at night, but during the day as well.
He said that this is what happens in older and more mature metro systems like those in New York, London or Paris.
'So, when a certain section is out of service, even during the day, commuters can have alternative routes.'
Mr Siow added that the CRL will probably be Singapore's last east to west MRT line.
'There is no, or not a lot more underground space left for another line like this,' he said. 'And so for now, we have planned ahead to ensure that the CRL has the capacity to meet commuter demand.'
As such, the CRL will begin operations with six train cars, with the provision to allow for eight train cars in the future, he said.
LTA said that CRL2 will also improve public transport connectivity for those living or travelling to and from the west.
For example, a West Coast resident travelling to work at Ang Mo Kio Industrial Park can save up to 40 minutes on their commute – from more than an hour by train and bus today, to 30 minutes on the CRL.
Construction of Phase 1 of the CRL commenced in Jan 2023 with 12 stations: Bright Hill, Ang Mo Kio, Hougang, Pasir Ris, Aviation Park, Loyang, Pasir Ris East, Tampines North, Defu, Serangoon North, Tavistock, and Teck Ghee. It is expected to be completed in 2030.
The construction of a 7.3km CRL-Punggol Extension will comprise four stations - Punggol, Riviera, Pasir Ris and Elias. Construction began in Oct 2023 and is targeted for completion 2032.
CRL Phase 3, which will serve the Jurong Industrial Estate, is currently subject to engineering studies, and more details will be announced after these studies are completed.
When completed, the over-50km long CRL will be Singapore's longest fully underground line connecting the east, west and northeastern parts of Singapore.
DEEPEST STATION IN SINGAPORE
To prepare for the opening of CRL2, works will be carried out at the EWL Clementi station and the DTL King Albert Park station to provide commuters with seamless transfers to the new line.
'Construction works for these transfer links will be implemented in phases, and will be monitored closely to minimise any disruptions to existing train services,' said LTA.
When completed, the CRL King Albert Park interchange station will be Singapore's deepest MRT station, at 50m deep, which is equivalent to the height of a 16-storey building.
It will surpass the CRL Pasir Ris station which, when completed, will be 47m deep and Bencoolen station on the DTL, the deepest existing underground station at 43m.
Among the engineering challenges of constructing CRL 2 will be boring between different ground conditions in the 15km stretch.
The ground at Bukit Timah, for instance, comprises granite which is stronger, while the ground at the Jurong area comprises layers of different ground conditions that are less stable.
The ground at the Jurong area thus has to be properly grouted, a process to strengthen the ground, before tunnelling commences.
Connecting Phase 1 of the CRL with Phase 2 will be a 5km bored tunnel between CRL Bright Hill and CR14 stations, said LTA.
This will run through the Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR) and will be constructed using a Large-Diameter Tunnel Boring Machine measuring 12.8m in diameter.
The machine will 'bore through the ground only once for the construction of the tunnel which houses two tracks, improving productivity and construction efficiency', said LTA.
The tunnelling works towards the CCNR commenced in May this year, along with ongoing ground improvement works.
The use of electric machinery such as excavators, tipper trucks and cranes will also be explored to reduce construction-related emissions and noise, among other green measures that will be implemented during CRL2's construction .
The CRL Changi East Depot, which houses the line's Operations Control Centre as well as maintenance facilities for up to 70 CRL trains, will also be fitted with photovoltaic solar panels to generate renewable energy for depot operations.
NATURE GROUPS CONSULTED
CRL2 spans a number of biodiversity areas including Eng Neo Avenue Forest, Maju Forest and Clementi Forest.
LTA said that since 2013, it has worked closely with nature group members to discuss the various alignment options, optimise the worksites, and co-create mitigation measures arising from the environmental impact assessment.
This partnership has yielded 'significant improvements', said LTA, including reducing the size of a worksite at Windsor Nature Park from 15,000sqm to 7,000sqm, and installing aerial rope bridges and underground culverts to facilitate the safe movement of animals across roads.
Before works commenced, comprehensive environmental impact assessments were carried out to assess any potential impact of the construction and operations on the nearby environment.
An environmental monitoring and management plan has been implemented at the sites, including several measures such as opaque screens and windows at the site offices to prevent bird collisions, and the wildlife proofing of food waste bins.
A new freshwater marsh has also been constructed at the CRL King Albert Park site to serve as a habitat for the fauna and flora from the existing marsh.
A biodiversity training centre has been set up at the Fairways Drive site office at Bukit Timah to provide 'mandatory wildlife awareness training for site workers and promote an environmentally responsible culture on site', said LTA.