MacRitchie Viaduct
| MacRitchie Viaduct | |
|---|---|
| Carries | Motor vehicles |
| Locale | Thomson, Singapore |
| Official name | MacRitchie Viaduct |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Viaduct |
| History | |
| Constructed by | Sato Kogyo |
MacRitchie Viaduct (sometimes also called Lornie Viaduct) is a viaduct in Thomson, Singapore that was built on top of Lornie Road and Thomson Road, with its extension also above Braddell Road. The viaduct is built to allow residents living in the Eastern, Central and Western part of Singapore a high-speed access between the east and the west for the residents who wants to travel from the east to the west or vice versa. The extension of the viaduct was opened on 24 August 2008, and is the first flyover to be constructed over an existing flyover, the Marymount Flyover.
Extension project
As part of the Outer Ring Road System, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) plans to widen the existing viaduct and construct a pair of dual two-lane vehicular viaducts from Braddell Road to join the existing MacRitchie Viaduct. When completed, it will allow motorists travelling along Braddell Road to bypass the traffic light junctions at Braddell Road, Thomson Road and Lornie Road.
Sago Kogyo was awarded the civil works contract by the LTA for the construction of this extension project. Worth about S$34.4 million, the contract covers the extension project; includes widening of the existing viaduct and construction of the extension of the viaduct from Braddell Road to the widened MacRitchie Viaduct. The contract also includes the widening of existing at-grade roads: Lornie Road, Braddell Road and Thomson Road.
There will also be four new bus shelters and one new pedestrian overhead bridge with covered walkways to the nearest bus shelter.
Benefits
Once the extension project is completed, the viaduct will provide a direct link between Lornie Road and Braddell Road, from the current direct link between Thomson Road and Lornie Road. It will also reduce waiting time as the vehicle can now bypass the traffic junctions along the at-grade roads. The extension project will also increase the traffic capacity in the area.
In conjunction with the Outer Ring Road System, the extension of the MacRitchie Viaduct will eventually allow motorists travelling from Queensway to Bartley Road to bypass the city area.
Conservation of trees
The Land Transport Authority will work closely together with the National Parks Board to minimise the need to remove trees around and in the construction site. Efforts have been made to avoid affecting the trees in the vicinity. However, some of them will be affected.
Minimising impact on community
As there will be an increase in noise and air pollution in the vicinity of the construction site, the Land Transport Authority will work closely together with the contractors to take the necessary measures to minimise any disruption.
To facilitate the construction of the viaducts, there will be temporary traffic diversion along Braddell Road and a short stretch of Thomson Road. Certain works, such as beams launching, have to be carried out at night for safety reasons. There will be temporary road closures to carry out such work.
