Sunday, May 12, 2013

Land use and transportation planning in Singapore..


Throughout its efforts to seek a high level of living in a green environment, Singapore has achieved the 15th world livable city in the Monocle livable city index. Developing its transportation infrastructure along with land use, several aspects took wide studies in its 2001 plan for Singapore’s future for the coming 40 to 50 years. This master plan was recently reviewed in 2013 where the focus was mainly on the land use development and high mobility goals to be achieved by 2030.


Residential land use had 30% along with an increase in transportation development expressed in adding  5 new MRT lines with a total of 180 km which will increase  its capacity more than 70% than its now. SMRT-Bus services had their share with 40 new hubs to be extended by that time.
Depending on private cars as a way of transport won’t achieve a sustainable development as Singapore see it. The increase in population to 6.9 million by 2030 paired with the demand of more vehicles to own would be more effective if replaced by public transportation which was mentioned in the previous plan in Jan 2013, its aiming to develop the transportation infrastructure so that eight of ten houses in Singapore will be within ten minutes’ walk a way of the nearest MRT station with a well connected urban green environment. Additionally, walkable and cycling paths will be designed to cover these areas to connect the entire city with greater accessible way to serve people of Singapore.
One of the nearest and important MRT network that will be opened between 2013-2017 is the downtown line, which will be the longest underground train line in Singapore will help the people who live in the northwest and east to travel with a great ease to the city center,500,000 commuters will be served daily and the time will be reduced to one third of its time used to take before.

Another new MRT line will be finished by 2021, The Thomson Line connects the north west to south communities with a capacity of 400,000 commuters and reduce the time taken to travel between these communities with half the time it took before.
Despite being second most densely populated State in the world, Singapore is one of the top Livable cities in the world. Since the independent rule Singapore governance has set up ambitious goals of sustainable urban developments and continues to do the same. The present Master Plan (2013) sets equally ambitious plans to be achieved by 2030 mainly considering increasing population growth and restricted land area. The importance has been given on expanding or increasing rail network so that 8 in 10 homes will be within a 10 minute walk of an MRT station. Expansion of the rail is mainly in terms of underground rails so that no extra land area will be consumed for the development. First and last mile connectivity is also under consideration to make public transport faster.
Refrences:
http://sgthinker.wordpress.com/2013/02/09/there-wont-be-overcrowding-in-2030/

http://mitsueki.wordpress.com/2013/01/31/6-9-million-people-in-singapore-by-2030-serious-ah/

http://lifebesiderunning.blogspot.com/2013/02/69m-dont-worry-be-happy.html

http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/05/29/singapores-circle-line-next-step-for-a-network-of-automatic-metros/


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