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After three years of construction, the Fort Canning Tunnel has opened on 16 January 2007.
The 350-metres long FCT will provide direct access for cars travelling from Marina Centre and the New Downtown to the Orchard area, allowing them to bypass the traffic light at the junctions of Stamford Road and Bencoolen Street as well as at Handy Road and Orchard Road.
The construction of FCT and consequent realignment of roads in the vicinity is congruent with the overall efforts to ensure the optimisation of land usage, especially in the prime area of the city. FCT was built to allow better utilisation of land and to ensure a more efficient land parcellation for the Singapore Management University's development.
NEW TRAFFIC SCHEME IN THE VICINITY
The FCT allows traffic coming from Stamford Road, just after its intersection with Armenian Street, to connect directly to Penang Road.
The section of Stamford Road between Armenian Street and Fort Canning Road has been realigned to run between two SMU buildings (School of Accountancy and Li Ka Shing Library).
Another new feature in this area is the widening of Penang Road from the existing four lanes to five lanes.
ERP GANTRY TO BE SET UP TO CLOSE OFF ORCHARD CORDON
At present, when motorists from the CBD ERP cordon travel to the Orchard Zone ERP cordon, they are subjected to the ERP rates for entering the Orchard cordon. When the tunnel is opened, motorists will have direct access from the CBD into the Orchard ERP Zone, bypassing the gantry currently at the entrance to the Orchard ERP Zone. To maintain the Orchard Zone ERP cordon, an ERP gantry has been installed at the end of the tunnel so that motorists using this route will continue to be charged for entering the Orchard ERP cordon, as before, and at the same rates. The current gantry will also remain for motorists using the alternative route into the Orchard cordon.
ADVANCE NOTIFICATION FOR MOTORISTS BEFORE ENTERING THE TUNNEL
As motorists approach the tunnel, they are advised on the traffic conditions or any incidents in the tunnel through signboards located at Armenian Street and Hill Street.
Motorists can also check traffic situation on the tunnel main display - an electronic sign board located at the junction of Stamford Road and Queen Street, just before the entrance of the tunnel.
There are signboards to remind motorists that they are entering an ERP zone at the end of the tunnel.
Through these information signboards, motorists are able to make informed decisions before entering the tunnel.
E&M FEATURES OF THE TUNNEL
Although FCT is a relatively short tunnel, it is equipped with several state of the art Electrical & Mechanical features.
Lighting conditions within the tunnel is varied according to the external daylight conditions to prevent a perceived change in lighting conditions as motorists enter the tunnel.
Four sets of longitudinal jet fans are installed to ventilate the tunnel in the event of congestion, emergency or fire. A sophisticated detection system will pick up any anomaly in smoke and heat levels.
In the event of any vehicle breakdowns, traffic accidents or traffic standstills, the tunnel is closely monitored by LTA's Intelligent Transport System Centre (ITSC) that will despatch vehicle recovery crew to the tunnel when required. There are also emergency phones within the tunnel for motorists to communicate with our ITSC Control Rooms in the event of incidents.
EFFORTS TO PRESERVE THE ENVIRONMENT
For the Fort Canning Tunnel project, a special mining method, known as Sprayed Concrete Lining (SCL), was adopted for the first time in Singapore to construct a 180-metre section of the tunnel. This method was favoured over the traditional cut-and-cover method of tunnel construction as the latter would have involved the felling of trees. By digging a tunnel through the hill, the authority has helped to save a total of 35 trees, including an iconic 50 year old Terap tree, and has helped to minimise the impact of the works on the existing landscape.
The 350-metres long FCT will provide direct access for cars travelling from Marina Centre and the New Downtown to the Orchard area, allowing them to bypass the traffic light at the junctions of Stamford Road and Bencoolen Street as well as at Handy Road and Orchard Road.
The construction of FCT and consequent realignment of roads in the vicinity is congruent with the overall efforts to ensure the optimisation of land usage, especially in the prime area of the city. FCT was built to allow better utilisation of land and to ensure a more efficient land parcellation for the Singapore Management University's development.
NEW TRAFFIC SCHEME IN THE VICINITY
The FCT allows traffic coming from Stamford Road, just after its intersection with Armenian Street, to connect directly to Penang Road.
The section of Stamford Road between Armenian Street and Fort Canning Road has been realigned to run between two SMU buildings (School of Accountancy and Li Ka Shing Library).
Another new feature in this area is the widening of Penang Road from the existing four lanes to five lanes.
ERP GANTRY TO BE SET UP TO CLOSE OFF ORCHARD CORDON
At present, when motorists from the CBD ERP cordon travel to the Orchard Zone ERP cordon, they are subjected to the ERP rates for entering the Orchard cordon. When the tunnel is opened, motorists will have direct access from the CBD into the Orchard ERP Zone, bypassing the gantry currently at the entrance to the Orchard ERP Zone. To maintain the Orchard Zone ERP cordon, an ERP gantry has been installed at the end of the tunnel so that motorists using this route will continue to be charged for entering the Orchard ERP cordon, as before, and at the same rates. The current gantry will also remain for motorists using the alternative route into the Orchard cordon.
ADVANCE NOTIFICATION FOR MOTORISTS BEFORE ENTERING THE TUNNEL
As motorists approach the tunnel, they are advised on the traffic conditions or any incidents in the tunnel through signboards located at Armenian Street and Hill Street.
Motorists can also check traffic situation on the tunnel main display - an electronic sign board located at the junction of Stamford Road and Queen Street, just before the entrance of the tunnel.
There are signboards to remind motorists that they are entering an ERP zone at the end of the tunnel.
Through these information signboards, motorists are able to make informed decisions before entering the tunnel.
E&M FEATURES OF THE TUNNEL
Although FCT is a relatively short tunnel, it is equipped with several state of the art Electrical & Mechanical features.
Lighting conditions within the tunnel is varied according to the external daylight conditions to prevent a perceived change in lighting conditions as motorists enter the tunnel.
Four sets of longitudinal jet fans are installed to ventilate the tunnel in the event of congestion, emergency or fire. A sophisticated detection system will pick up any anomaly in smoke and heat levels.
In the event of any vehicle breakdowns, traffic accidents or traffic standstills, the tunnel is closely monitored by LTA's Intelligent Transport System Centre (ITSC) that will despatch vehicle recovery crew to the tunnel when required. There are also emergency phones within the tunnel for motorists to communicate with our ITSC Control Rooms in the event of incidents.
EFFORTS TO PRESERVE THE ENVIRONMENT
For the Fort Canning Tunnel project, a special mining method, known as Sprayed Concrete Lining (SCL), was adopted for the first time in Singapore to construct a 180-metre section of the tunnel. This method was favoured over the traditional cut-and-cover method of tunnel construction as the latter would have involved the felling of trees. By digging a tunnel through the hill, the authority has helped to save a total of 35 trees, including an iconic 50 year old Terap tree, and has helped to minimise the impact of the works on the existing landscape.
Map
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Construction of Fort Canning Tunnel and realignment of Stamford Road.pdf [74 Kb] |
Site Photos
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Related Information
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ST 14 Apr 07 (LTA's reply - Signs guide motorists on to FCT) [143 Kb] |
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Last Updated: November 2006