Cross Island Line to get 4 new stations linking Taman Jurong and western industrial estates by late 2030s

Cross Island Line to get 4 new stations linking Taman Jurong and western industrial estates by late 2030s The third phase will take the Cross Island Line's total length to about 67km, making it Singapore's longest fully underground MRT line. SINGAPORE: Four new stations will be added to the Cross Island Line (CRL) to serve Taman Jurong residents and workers in western industrial estates, Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow announced on Friday (Jul 31). To make way for the works, the government will acquire seven industrial properties in full and eight partially. Phase 3 of the Cross Island Line will connect to the East-West Line at Gul Circle station, with a further interchange linking to the Jurong Region Line. The new extension could significantly shorten travel time for commuters. For example, a commute from Sin Ming Gardens to Jurong Pier would be shortened by 50 minutes. Construction on CRL3, which will span about 10km, is expected to start next year, with the stations targeted to open by the late 2030s. Speaking during a visit to the Singapore Rail Test Centre, Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow said the CRL would play a critical role in the MRT network, with 11 of its 26 stations serving as interchanges. “It will significantly strengthen the resilience of our entire MRT network,” he said. “During a service disruption, it means more commuters will have alternative routes to get to where they want to go, without having to leave the MRT network.” Other than Gul Circle, the three remaining stations are temporarily labelled CR20, CR21 and CR22, as with all non-interchange CRL stations pending official names. CR20 will sit at Jalan Terusan near Jurong Lake Gardens, beside the Ayer Rajah Expressway, serving residential blocks at Yung Ho Spring I, Jurong Lake Gardens, St Andrew's Nursing Home and Taman Jurong Skyline. It could also connect to Superbowl Jurong in future. CR21 will be located along Jalan Buroh, serving as a gateway to Jurong Island, while CR22 will sit at the eastern end of Gul Circle, serving existing and future developments in the Benoi and Gul areas. The Gul Circle interchange will serve existing and future industrial areas. NEW DEPOT AND LAND ACQUISITION A second CRL rail depot will be built at the former Raffles Country Club site, providing maintenance and stabling facilities for the train fleet. It will be co-located with a multi-storey bus depot offering parking, charging and maintenance facilities for public buses. On Friday, the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) gazetted the acquisition of seven industrial properties in full and eight partially to facilitate the construction of CRL3 and related road works. The authority did not name the affected properties. The partial acquisitions will largely affect ancillary features such as green verges and boundary fences; business operations can continue and relocation is not required. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) will reinstate affected structures once works are completed. “SLA and LTA will work closely with the affected parties and assist them through the acquisition process,” the agencies said in a statement. With CRL3, the line will span about 67km when completed, making it Singapore's eighth and longest fully underground MRT line. Phase 1, comprising 12 stations across about 29km, is set to be completed in 2030. Phase 2 spans around 15km with six stations, and is targeted for completion in 2032. When fully completed, the CRL is expected to have a daily ridership of at least 600,000 in the initial years, growing to 1 million in the longer term, LTA said. [Image text:] Land Transport Authority