Comments on: Singapore's Circle Line Next Step for a Network of Automatic Metros http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/05/29/singapores-circle-line-next-step-for-a-network-of-automatic-metros/ Sat, 31 Jul 2010 16:27:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Alon Levy http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/05/29/singapores-circle-line-next-step-for-a-network-of-automatic-metros/#comment-1378 Alon Levy Sat, 30 May 2009 17:44:32 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.com/?p=2355#comment-1378 I went to college at NUS, and was intimately familiar with the crush-loaded 95 and 96 buses shuttling people from campus to Buona Vista and Clementi, the two nearest MRT stations. Buona Vista is located in front of an unwalkable office park; Clementi is located in between housing projects, with no significant retail or office space in sight. The new Kent Ridge station is going to be located on the outskirt of campus, rather than in its center or at least its main entrance. And Dhoby Ghaut, the transfer point between the North-South, Northeast, and now Circle Lines, is a minor mall located between open fields. Orchard and Somerset, which are closer to the main shopping and job centers, are not getting more service. I went to college at NUS, and was intimately familiar with the crush-loaded 95 and 96 buses shuttling people from campus to Buona Vista and Clementi, the two nearest MRT stations. Buona Vista is located in front of an unwalkable office park; Clementi is located in between housing projects, with no significant retail or office space in sight. The new Kent Ridge station is going to be located on the outskirt of campus, rather than in its center or at least its main entrance.

And Dhoby Ghaut, the transfer point between the North-South, Northeast, and now Circle Lines, is a minor mall located between open fields. Orchard and Somerset, which are closer to the main shopping and job centers, are not getting more service.

]]> By: Ned http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/05/29/singapores-circle-line-next-step-for-a-network-of-automatic-metros/#comment-1377 Ned Sat, 30 May 2009 09:28:36 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.com/?p=2355#comment-1377 Singapore's MRT is a nice, clean, straight forward system. Though the number of new lines are a bit of overkill considering the population density of the island as compared to Shanghai and Hong Kong. The new Circle Line will actually be quite useful. I always am at meetings in the Suntec Centre and really hate the walk to City Hall MRT - especially in the tropical heat. It will be really nice when the new stations open there. Singapore’s MRT is a nice, clean, straight forward system. Though the number of new lines are a bit of overkill considering the population density of the island as compared to Shanghai and Hong Kong.

The new Circle Line will actually be quite useful. I always am at meetings in the Suntec Centre and really hate the walk to City Hall MRT – especially in the tropical heat. It will be really nice when the new stations open there.

]]> By: jon http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/05/29/singapores-circle-line-next-step-for-a-network-of-automatic-metros/#comment-1376 jon Fri, 29 May 2009 21:36:32 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.com/?p=2355#comment-1376 considering they didnt have any subway until about 20 years ago, I'd say its pretty remarkable what they have now and what they will have in the next 20 years. here in the US we are lucky if we can build a single light rail line in a timeframe of 15 years and yet singapore is building a huge underground rapid transit network in that same timeframe. considering they didnt have any subway until about 20 years ago, I’d say its pretty remarkable what they have now and what they will have in the next 20 years.

here in the US we are lucky if we can build a single light rail line in a timeframe of 15 years and yet singapore is building a huge underground rapid transit network in that same timeframe.

]]> By: Alon Levy http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/05/29/singapores-circle-line-next-step-for-a-network-of-automatic-metros/#comment-1375 Alon Levy Fri, 29 May 2009 21:03:36 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.com/?p=2355#comment-1375 Singapore's subway development is deeply overrated. The Circle Line will never form a complete circle; the full plan is for it to be a spiral. The Downtown Line will cross itself. Neither of the lines will provide relief to the overcrowded Orchard stop, serving the city's main shopping intersection. And the existing lines rarely get you to where you want to go, which is why the government built light rail loops to shuttle people from their housing projects to the MRT. Often to get from point A to point B, you need to take a bus to the subway to another bus, all three of which will be overcrowded. Singapore’s subway development is deeply overrated. The Circle Line will never form a complete circle; the full plan is for it to be a spiral. The Downtown Line will cross itself. Neither of the lines will provide relief to the overcrowded Orchard stop, serving the city’s main shopping intersection. And the existing lines rarely get you to where you want to go, which is why the government built light rail loops to shuttle people from their housing projects to the MRT. Often to get from point A to point B, you need to take a bus to the subway to another bus, all three of which will be overcrowded.

]]>