Nine more locations to get noise barriers along MRT tracks
Railway noise barriers along a stretch of MRT tracks at Tampines Street 21. These barriers help to reduce noise levels near residential areas. Photo: Ernest Chua
SINGAPORE — Noise barriers will be installed along elevated MRT railway tracks at nine locations, including Clementi, Eunos and Lakeside, as part of efforts to reduce noise levels near residential areas.
Installation work on the 3.5km of barriers, costing about S$17 million, will be carried out by CKT Thomas, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said yesterday. It will begin after the designs and site investigations are completed in the third quarter of this year, and is expected to be completed in mid-2017.
The barriers are expected to reduce railway noise levels by 5 to 10 decibels.
The contract awarded to CKT Thomas, a renovation and building contractor, is the second under Phase 1 of the LTA’s noise barrier programme. Phase 1 covers 13.5km of barriers.
The first contract, awarded in 2013 to Precise Development, involved installing noise barriers at 16 locations, including Admiralty, Marsiling, Sembawang, Ang Mo Kio, Pioneer and Yew Tee. Work is currently in progress and is on schedule to be completed next year, the LTA said.
Phase 2 of the installation programme, for about 9km of barriers, is likely to begin next year and details will be announced later this year.
The contracts were awarded following successful trials in Bishan and Jurong East in 2012.
When all the work is completed — by 2019 — there will be about 22.5km of barriers installed along elevated railway tracks where noise levels exceed the National Environment Agency’s noise criterion of 67 decibels averaged over an hour.
“Residents living near elevated MRT tracks can look forward to an improved living environment,” said the LTA.
