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SINGAPORE: Motorists crossing the Woodlands Checkpoint can soon expect a smoother drive.
Faced with a steady growth in traffic volume there, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has announced plans to further develop the Old Woodlands Checkpoint.
The S$2.5 million project will enable lorries and motorcycles to be cleared faster during peak hours, easing congestion all around.
The existing Woodlands checkpoint was designed to handle 35.2 million vehicles a year. But last year alone, 38.7 million vehicles passed through it.
This volume of traffic looks set to rise, with the opening of the integrated resorts and major events Singapore is staging, such as APEC 2009 and the 2010 Youth Olympics.
Hence, the ICA has decided to put the Old Woodlands Checkpoint to greater use. Since March this year, the old checkpoint has been used to clear departing cargo vehicles.
But from next month, it will have more counters and secondary check lanes to also clear lorries entering Singapore during peak hours. According to ICA, this first phase of development will cost S$500,000.
The next phase will be to add new clearance facilities there for motorcyclists coming into Singapore during peak periods.
This will be ready in the first quarter of next year, bringing the total number of motorcycle lanes across both Woodlands checkpoints from 50 to 70. This second phase of development will cost another S$2 million.
ICA's operations director, P. Bhopinder Singh, said: "The phased approach will help us to better manage the volume of cargo vehicles and arriving motorcycles during the peak period. This will also translate to spin-off benefits such as clearance of cars during peak period."
Overall, the old checkpoint is expected to handle up to 60 per cent of the existing cargo vehicle traffic and 20 per cent of the existing motorcycle arrivals.
To staff the additional counters and maintain security, ICA expects to recruit 100 more officers.
- CNA/ir
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