Singapore’s longest fully underground line will be called the Cross Island Line (CRL), and it’ll get commuters to and fro the Eastern and Western parts of the island. No word if it’ll finally put to rest the eternal geographical conflict between the staunch inhabitants of either side.
Expected to have its first phase completed by 2029, CRL1 will comprise 12 MRT stations from Aviation Park all the way in the East to the center of the island at Bright Hill station. Along the way, the train line will serve the residential and industrial areas of Loyang, Tampines, Pasir Ris, Defu, Hougang, Serangoon North, and Ang Mo Kio.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has been really drumming up the merits of the CRL in their press statement, too. According to the authority, over 100,000 households stand to benefit from Phase 1 of the CRL alone, with easier access via public transport to recreational spaces such as Changi Beach Park and Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park.
Travel times will be severely reduced as well, but that’s a given, really. CRL — Singapore’s eighth MRT line — will open up new travel route options as it will connect with the North East Line, the East-West Line, the North-South Line and even the upcoming Thomson-East Coast Line. Commuters will get to shave off as much as 70 minutes from their travel time.
The affected areas of land and properties have been acquired by the government today, but works on CRL1 will only commence in 2020 and is expected for completion by 2029. Details on the remaining stations of the CRL will be announced later on.
