Maplewoods - A case of wanting their cake & eat it?

[acidic.straw]

I think the measures proposed by the authorities to address residents' concerns are very reasonable but they are still unhappy! :doh:


ST,30June2011

MAPLEWOODS condominium residents - upset over a new MRT construction site which they claimed they learnt of only last month - have been presented with new proposals addressing their concerns about traffic and safety.
First, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) will revise its plans so that trucks carting tunnelling debris from the site do not have to cut across the only access road to the Bukit Timah Road estate.
Second, its 3,000 residents have been given three options for a new pedestrian footpath to make it safer for them to reach Bukit Timah Road and Methodist Girls' School (MGS) in Blackmore Drive.
The three options are: building a gate at the back of the condo giving direct access to MGS, creating a 1.2m-wide footpath on the condo's premises leading to the school, and building a public path on the perimeter of the construction site.
'Both the vehicular and safety issues have been vastly improved,' said MP for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC Christopher de Souza, who discussed the new ideas with more than 100 residents last night.
He noted that safety for the condo's children was his top priority and that the new solution has addressed this.
Last night's meeting was his third since he first heard about residents' concerns on May 23. He was accompanied by his fellow MP for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, and LTA's chief executive Chew Hock Yong.
Unhappiness surfaced last month when residents learnt of LTA's plans for the new construction site. Work began in front of the estate for the King Albert Park MRT station last June, but was halted on June 6 due to protests over the new site which will allow trucks to carry debris from tunnelling work. The station, which is part of the Downtown Line Stage 2, is slated to be ready by 2015.
Residents said the construction work and traffic diversions would make it difficult to drive in and out of the condo.
There was also worry over the safety of pedestrians, especially students walking to MGS.
Letters were sent to the Prime Minister and a dialogue with LTA and Mr de Souza was held to discuss solutions. However, no agreement was reached.
Among the solutions offered then was the building of a footpath from the condo towards King Albert Park.
Residents also suggested moving the new construction site nearer to Sixth Avenue, but the LTA said it was not feasible due to construction limitations.
At yesterday's four-hour meeting, residents said the new suggestions gave little comfort and insisted on relocating the new construction site.
Resident Michael Morris, 49, a software salesman, said: 'We had asked for and hoped for a complete reassessment without any preconceived notions, but all they have done really is put band aids on the core issue.'
He added that residents 'still haven't heard any justification about the decision made many years ago' for locating the site in such a tightly constricted space.
More talks are expected between LTA and residents to work out a solution.
Dr Balakrishnan, who is also Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, told the residents: 'While I'm in a position to lean on them (LTA), I cannot promise you a final outcome. We will maximise safety and reduce inconvenience for you. Your pressure on LTA has made the plan better.
'This has not been a perfect plan. This is an improved plan, but I think further improvements can be made,' he added.

[acidic.straw]

ST, 30June2011


LTA'S OPTIONS
PROBLEM: Trucks removing tunnel debris from launch shaft at condo's sole entrance and exit will cause traffic obstruction and pose danger to pedestrians
PROPOSED SOLUTION: Get trucks to bypass condo's entrance/exit by accessing launch site from main road
PROBLEM: Children walking to Methodist Girls' School (MGS) behind Maplewoods will have to use narrow footpath flanked by busy construction site and heavy traffic on Bukit Timah Road
PROPOSED SOLUTION: Build new footpath either
Connecting Maplewoods directly to MGS by its backdoor;
Around Maplewoods using condo land;
Around construction site using public land

[Allthepies]

ST, 30June2011


LTA'S OPTIONS
PROBLEM: Trucks removing tunnel debris from launch shaft at condo's sole entrance and exit will cause traffic obstruction and pose danger to pedestrians
PROPOSED SOLUTION: Get trucks to bypass condo's entrance/exit by accessing launch site from main road
PROBLEM: Children walking to Methodist Girls' School (MGS) behind Maplewoods will have to use narrow footpath flanked by busy construction site and heavy traffic on Bukit Timah Road
PROPOSED SOLUTION: Build new footpath either
Connecting Maplewoods directly to MGS by its backdoor;
Around Maplewoods using condo land;
Around construction site using public land

can the LTA/Singapore charged maplewood for the delay it caused to the construction of the whole mrt line? Or should the LTA take back a part of maplewood land to convert to road? :D

[nobrainer32007]

GREAT IDEA! i believe that it happened to chuan park.



can the LTA/Singapore charged maplewood for the delay it caused to the construction of the whole mrt line? Or should the LTA take back a part of maplewood land to convert to road? :D

[land118]

can the LTA/Singapore charged maplewood for the delay it caused to the construction of the whole mrt line? Or should the LTA take back a part of maplewood land to convert to road? :D Maybe there should have another 2 OPTION:

1. LTA take back part of Maplewood convert to road, ensure safety to residents

2. Do away with the station all together since so much trouble. If more delay, can potentially delay the completion of the new line and affect all the inconvenience of rest of Singapore who will benefit from the new line

[Wild Falcon]

Build a footpath ESPECIALLY for Maplewoods residents who have children who are going to MGS only, which is probably a very small group of people. This is using taxpayer's money. These guys should just be reasonable and not delay the process or construction any further. The MRT will benefit lots of people. Just bear with the construction for a few years. Maplewoods is not even a quiet condo to begin with. It's right beside Bukit Timah road - they should be used to high noise levels. Why they want to push everything to sixth ave which will entail greater disruption since it taking away more land and chasing people out of their homes?

I find it ridiculous for them to ask people to move the construction site elsewhere? HELLO? Be reasonable lah. It depends on where is the MRT station right? And what are all the soil testing for? Just be reasonable lah.

[devilplate]

they r jus trying to take advantage of the govt situation now when PAP goto 'listen'

this is jus the beginning....:sleep:

[fclim]

they r jus trying to take advantage of the govt situation now when PAP goto 'listen'

this is jus the beginning....:sleep:

Real stupid people. They are indirectly talking down the value of their condo. Nobody will dare to buy a unit there until the construction is over.

[TOP]

Real stupid people. They are indirectly talking down the value of their condo. Nobody will dare to buy a unit there until the construction is over.

My agent friend told me many current tenants consider moving out and new tenants/buyers difficult to secure. Owners sure have to fight for their $$$.

Those interested in this property can wait till further mess up by construction works before go in buy cheap cheap

[amk]

they r jus trying to take advantage of the govt situation now when PAP goto 'listen'

this is jus the beginning....:sleep:
I'm thinking *exactly* the same. "Listen"...
what happen to the other condo where the owners demand gov to topup their 99Y LH condo ? "because we are concerned abt the value of our homes" :cool:

[hopeful]

we are all so understanding of PAP when it is not our homes that's affected :)
any owners of Maplewoods here? care to give your opinion?

[masterkey]

Changing debris entrance to main road - i.e. inconvenience all motorists, instead of just the condo residents.
Building new footpaths - i.e. spend more tax payers money to benefit residents.
Relocating entire construction site - i.e. inconvenience someone else please, just not me. But we want the MRT station.

This is going to encourage more selfish actions by rich condo owners.

[acidic.straw]

Changing debris entrance to main road - i.e. inconvenience all motorists, instead of just the condo residents.
Building new footpaths - i.e. spend more tax payers money to benefit residents.
Relocating entire construction site - i.e. inconvenience someone else please, just not me. But we want the MRT station.

This is going to encourage more selfish actions by rich condo owners.

Check out this video where the residents confront LTA.
http://www.razor.tv/site/servlet/segment/main/news/65836.html

I think the LTA should accede to the residents' wish to shift the entrance of the station....like 2 km away. Then perhaps they will be happier and so will everybody else.:spliff:

[proud owner]

Check out this video where the residents confront LTA.
http://www.razor.tv/site/servlet/segment/main/news/65836.html

I think the LTA should accede to the residents' wish to shift the entrance of the station....like 2 km away. Then perhaps they will be happier and so will everybody else.:spliff:


good one ...

people in Changi ... dying for MRT ...

these people only care about themselves lor ... use children's safety as an excuse ...

how about the indonesian boy who died in the flood ?

should residents of that area demand to have the whole estate ground RAISED ?

should residents of pulau ubin demand for a motor way to main land ?

should residents of X'mas island ask for free air ticket ?

should residents of Paya lebar demand that all trucks be banned from that area ?

should residents of ... ???

maybe govt should skip the mrt there completely ...
maybe govt should move all the 'good schools' out of bkt timah

[howgozit]

The new measures actually addresses the safety issue wrt MGS from Maplewoods. How many MGS students are there in Maplewoods anyway? The residents are using safety as an excuse to argue for the shift.

The true reason of course is money. Most rental tenants be inclined to move out of Maplewoods during the construction period (which is a long time), new renters will also ask for lower rents....etc.

[Snail]

There are several points:

1) Getting girls to MGS from Maplewoods is not actually the issue because a hole can be put in the fence. The question in how do kids from Nexus, Cascadia, landed etc. get to MGS safely as well since, for sure their only options are to walk along the newly constructed road over the river OR walk through MW via any new hole in the fence. If MW starts letting just anybody through to the school, then where is the security/privacy.

2) There is talk of 2,000-2,500 trucks a day waiting at the (only) entrance/exit of MW for access to the tunnel launch site. This is one truck basically every two minutes at a convergence point of Bkt Timah Rd, MW and the launch site. Under LTA design these trucks would wait in a holding area at MW entrance whilst at the same time traffic from MW have to negotiate a +1m slope onto the new road over the river, whilst at the same time kids are having to walk to/from school. This is all whilst, at the same time, one truck every two minutes is trying to access Bkt Timah Rd also via the +1m slope to the road extension.......whilst fully laden.

Bkt Timah is jammed enough at times without 2kph trucks trying to negotiate +1m slopes around corners. Remember also, Bkt Timah is now only 3-Lanes instead of the previous 5-Lanes.

3) This convergence point is made worse in the morning given the new road layout would prevent school buses from accessing MW that would then (during rush hour) wait on Bkt Timah Rd for kids. They wait on the road at Sterling, but there now is 4-Lanes wide.

4) MW would have no means of getting garbage out of the estate. The only pick-up point is on Bkt Timah Road with no means of the refuse truck getting to the pick up point from inside the estate..... obviously nobody from LTA even did a walk-through/passed.

5) Alpine GmbH have themselves declared the launch site picked by LTA to be the least desirable of other options in the area.



I might suggest that instead of picking on MW owners (I'm not) you might want to question the LTA before they screw with you next time without asking questions first. In this case they appear not to have done their homework.

'Relocations' or otherwise would not have been an issue, most likely if LTA had asked residents and the engineering contractors for inputs at the time of design. I appreciate that LTA would have found this too much 'work' to discuss such matters for each and every station but, well, SG people are not paying peanuts to foreign companies and workers to sit on their thumbs. Oh wait, yes they are, now.

[Wild Falcon]

I don't think there are 2500 trucks waiting at the entrance of MW everyday. Don't believe these exaggerated crap u read in the papers. Bukit Timah Road is not siginificantly more jammed with the MRT construction. There is some inconvenience that comes with every MRT construction. As for "dangerous" for children - that's crap. Obviously, it is not dangerous enough for adults which means low danger. Everything is dangerous to infantiles right? The parents just have to look after their children. Even roads with cars are "dangerous for children" right? Doesn't mean we remove all roads. If your child doesn't know how to cross road, then u bring him along. U don't ask the whole world to come to a standstill and not build roads or MRT just because cars or trucks are dangerous for your children right?


There are several points:

1) Getting girls to MGS from Maplewoods is not actually the issue because a hole can be put in the fence. The question in how do kids from Nexus, Cascadia, landed etc. get to MGS safely as well since, for sure their only options are to walk along the newly constructed road over the river OR walk through MW via any new hole in the fence. If MW starts letting just anybody through to the school, then where is the security/privacy.

2) There is talk of 2,000-2,500 trucks a day waiting at the (only) entrance/exit of MW for access to the tunnel launch site. This is one truck basically every two minutes at a convergence point of Bkt Timah Rd, MW and the launch site. Under LTA design these trucks would wait in a holding area at MW entrance whilst at the same time traffic from MW have to negotiate a +1m slope onto the new road over the river, whilst at the same time kids are having to walk to/from school. This is all whilst, at the same time, one truck every two minutes is trying to access Bkt Timah Rd also via the +1m slope to the road extension.......whilst fully laden.

Bkt Timah is jammed enough at times without 2kph trucks trying to negotiate +1m slopes around corners. Remember also, Bkt Timah is now only 3-Lanes instead of the previous 5-Lanes.

3) This convergence point is made worse in the morning given the new road layout would prevent school buses from accessing MW that would then (during rush hour) wait on Bkt Timah Rd for kids. They wait on the road at Sterling, but there now is 4-Lanes wide.

4) MW would have no means of getting garbage out of the estate. The only pick-up point is on Bkt Timah Road with no means of the refuse truck getting to the pick up point from inside the estate..... obviously nobody from LTA even did a walk-through/passed.

5) Alpine GmbH have themselves declared the launch site picked by LTA to be the least desirable of other options in the area.



I might suggest that instead of picking on MW owners (I'm not) you might want to question the LTA before they screw with you next time without asking questions first. In this case they appear not to have done their homework.

'Relocations' or otherwise would not have been an issue, most likely if LTA had asked residents and the engineering contractors for inputs at the time of design. I appreciate that LTA would have found this too much 'work' to discuss such matters for each and every station but, well, SG people are not paying peanuts to foreign companies and workers to sit on their thumbs. Oh wait, yes they are, now.

[sbk]

how many girls from Nexus, Cascadia (new condo), landed homes, etc. are attending MGS? And how many of them actually walk to school?

I have relatives living in Nexus and they told me not many. . .

Is it not possible for MW guards to let girls in MGS school uniforms to pass through MW enroute to MGS from humanitarian standpoint?


Safety is a key consideration but this should also be seriously considered together with other factors in order to have a win-win situation for all parties involved including the Bukit Timah road users. . .

[Wild Falcon]

The ironic part is Nexus, Cascadia etc are not complaining. Maplewoods is the one making the most noise about how dangerous the trucks and roads are to their children.


how many girls from Nexus, Cascadia (new condo), landed homes, etc. are attending MGS? And how many of them actually walk to school?

I have relatives living in Nexus and they told me not many. . .

Is it not possible for MW guards to let girls in MGS school uniforms to pass through MW enroute to MGS from humanitarian standpoint?


Safety is a key consideration but this should also be seriously considered together with other factors in order to have a win-win situation for all parties involved including the Bukit Timah road users. . .

[kingkong1984]

accident then gone case.

[focus]

*blink*blink*

[acidic.straw]

The saga continues...or has it ended?

ST, 14July2011

CONSTRUCTION work on the MRT Downtown Line 2 outside Maplewoods condominium in Bukit Timah Road will resume in a few days, after a month's delay brought about by protests from unhappy residents.
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, an MP for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, announced this to residents at a dialogue between them and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) last night.
'We need to get the line done, we need to get it done as quickly as possible to minimise the disturbance and disruption to all of you, and we need to make it as safe as possible,' he said.
Dr Balakrishnan, who is also Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, added that he had discussed the issue with Cabinet, and the view is LTA's plan has addressed residents' safety concerns.
LTA officials said work on the King Albert Park station, which will be located outside the condo, has to go on because many other commuters are waiting to use the Downtown Line 2, which will run from Bukit Panjang to Bugis.
But the 100 or so residents who had gathered at the condo's function room were still unhappy.
The meeting started at 8pm with management committee chairman Michael Tan presenting a new tunnelling proposal for LTA to consider.
For 2-1/2 hours, he and the others argued why theirs was a better proposal, and when LTA engineers told them it would delay the project, they expressed scepticism.
Finally, at 10.30pm, Dr Balakrishnan, who had been sitting at the front of the room, took over the microphone and addressed the residents.
While promising that he and LTA officials would continue to hear residents' concerns, he said: 'I cannot have a system in Singapore where I can tell any group of residents you will not have a launch shaft near your residence. It's not possible.
'Someone, somewhere, will need to have it. And where it will be, will be done on technical and operational reasons while watching out for your safety.'
He, fellow MP Christopher de Souza and the LTA officials who had attended the meeting then took their leave, after which the residents had a closed-door meeting.
At 11.30pm, Mr Tan came out and told reporters that he was 'very disappointed' and said their proposal would 'save cost'. Work at the King Albert Park site was supposed to have started last month and completed in 2015. But it was halted on June 6 when the Maplewoods residents protested.
Their main beef was how, during the construction of the line, a launch shaft has to be built at the King Albert Park worksite.
LTA has explained that the launch shaft is needed to lower and launch tunnelling machines that will build the tunnels between King Albert Park station and the next station at Sixth Avenue. It will be removed once works are over.
Residents had wanted the launch shaft to be sited at the worksite of Sixth Avenue station instead. But LTA said this would mean acquiring 10 shophouses in Sixth Avenue, and also lead to $500 million in additional costs and a 38-month delay for the Downtown Line 2.
But locating the launch shaft at the King Albert Park worksite does not require acquisition.
Residents had other complaints, from traffic disruptions to pedestrian safety.
But while residents are unhappy now, property players expect values at Maplewoods to rise once the Downtown Line 2 is up and running.
Said ERA Realty key executive Eugene Lim: 'It will definitely have some positive impact on prices. Having an MRT station at your doorstep makes the whole place more desirable.'

[land118]

Sounded like both the Minister and the Residents are fed up with each other...and possibly LTA is under pressure from contractor to allow them to quickly get on with the works and there is a timeline for completion that contractor need to meet based on tender specification and commitment. Quite late at this juncture to change anything....Residents there LL, just got to live with it and it's a tradeoff, few years down the road, their property price increase, they will be happy once more.

[ysyap]

Sounded like both the Minister and the Residents are fed up with each other...and possibly LTA is under pressure from contractor to allow them to quickly get on with the works and there is a timeline for completion that contractor need to meet based on tender specification and commitment. Quite late at this juncture to change anything....Residents there LL, just got to live with it and it's a tradeoff, few years down the road, their property price increase, they will be happy once more.If something happen from now till MRT completion and price increase, do u think residents will be happy... anyway, the construction will surely have to take place so its really how much the authorities are willing to do to calm the resident... :hell-hath-no-fury:

[land118]

If something happen from now till MRT completion and price increase, do u think residents will be happy... anyway, the construction will surely have to take place so its really how much the authorities are willing to do to calm the resident... :hell-hath-no-fury:
Ya, residents want a BIG CAKE and also to EAT it, "bao jiak".

Not much was reported of the residents proposal except highlight the negative of additional cost of $500m to acquire the row of 10 shophouses to site the launch shaft at 6 avenue. Actually, this $500mil so called cost is not correct because after the tunneling works are completed, site of residents proposed can be reinstated and land can be open for Land Sales again, so effectively nett of doing this is not $500mil.

Actually, if this was opened up for Resident's discussion and proposal say 6months ago, then any positive proposal may have been able to be accommodate into the time and space of the project timeline, that 6mths' ago is pre-election, politically not wise for this dialogue and discussion to take place..., all is said is " too late...", will cause delay to rest of residents along Downtown Line 2.

If u asked me, my personal opinion is that LTA, Minister already made up their mind, just that they open up to hear residents views as a side show and only to accommodate minor elevation works to appease residents and show that they are now listening to the ground 1st such as those reported in ST papers page B1:

-install traffic lights at Bukit Timah near Nexus condo
Revised traffic arrangement so that construction vehicles no longer cut acros condo's entrance
-Build an access gate at the back of condo to provide residents' kids with diret access to MGS
-Build 2 footpaths- 1.2m wide on condo's and a 1.5m public path around construction side
-relocate main gate for truck access to lower segment of Blackmore drive , away fro. Bukit Timah

wonder if any residents here in forum who can share if ST report is accurate becos nothing much said about the positive if any on the Resident's proposal...surely cannot be as bad or silent as ST report.

[DC33_2008]

Seems that richer people is more petty. Lost of rental income for the next few years to pay mortgages. Pity those shops that have to be demolish of shaft relocated. They thought Vivian will hear them out since ruling party said they will feel and hear the ground closely. Residents seem rather determined.
If something happen from now till MRT completion and price increase, do u think residents will be happy... anyway, the construction will surely have to take place so its really how much the authorities are willing to do to calm the resident... :hell-hath-no-fury:

[Snail]

Sounded like both the Minister and the Residents are fed up with each other...and possibly LTA is under pressure from contractor to allow them to quickly get on with the works and there is a timeline for completion that contractor need to meet based on tender specification and commitment. Quite late at this juncture to change anything....Residents there LL, just got to live with it and it's a tradeoff, few years down the road, their property price increase, they will be happy once more.


The contractor will not be held liable for any delay as a result of this, so it is technically allowed to push back by a month although they'll work to finish on schedule.

With regards Maplewoods, the issue is more that the LTA didn't inform the area of their plans until it was already too late to stop so now all everybody can say is 'Tough, come so far already, nothing we can do to change it.' This is the problem, LTA and government just progressing stuff without anybody complaining. They have to be held to account...... next time it will be our turn - putting the launch shaft of a couple of TBM 20m from a condo entrance, definately a bit crazy.

I saw the initial plans and definately, LTA screwed up but Maplewoods people also went crazy, petty over every little problem. I think this came from the LTA being crazy first and MW fight back but at one point there was to be a new pavement installed for the kids to go to school......less than 0.5m wide at places.




-install traffic lights at Bukit Timah near Nexus condo
-Revised traffic arrangement so that construction vehicles no longer cut acros condo's entrance
-Build an access gate at the back of condo to provide residents' kids with diret access to MGS
-Build 2 footpaths- 1.2m wide on condo's and a 1.5m public path around construction side
-relocate main gate for truck access to lower segment of Blackmore drive , away fro. Bukit Timah


1) done already.
2) proposed and we'll see if Casa Esperanza now complain.
3) easy, just needs to be guarded.
4) who pays to build and re-instate the footpaths made on MW/CE grounds?
5) as point 2

[ysyap]

Its not just the residents but the entire country who has to wait for the delay MRT line to be completed who might potentially complain so govt cannot sit on this forever... any delay is detrimental... :scared-4:

[howgozit]

quote=land118] Actually, this $500mil so called cost is not correct because after the tunneling works are completed, site of residents proposed can be reinstated and land can be open for Land Sales again, so effectively nett of doing this is not $500mil.
[quote]

The recovery of the land cost through future land sales are accounted differently. Planners cannot budget on a projected land sale.

In any case, it is wrong to force vacate the 10 shophouses when a temporary and less interventionist option is available.

[sbk]

MW tenants may choose to move out but the question is move where, any experts can comment?

[mkl22]

no way will LTA allow maplewoods to get their way. else next time for every project every few hundred meters got people KPKB and then LTA will have to address their every concerns, then no need to do any work liao.

To me, for maplewoods residents it is tough luck, but at least the station will be very near. they are lucky LTA never say acquire part of their property, like those at marymount kenna for the NS expressway.

[stalingrad]

no way will LTA allow maplewoods to get their way. else next time for every project every few hundred meters got people KPKB and then LTA will have to address their every concerns, then no need to do any work liao.

To me, for maplewoods residents it is tough luck, but at least the station will be very near. they are lucky LTA never say acquire part of their property, like those at marymount kenna for the NS expressway.

yes, be soft but be firm. If you bend backward to accommodate everyone in every condo, the new north south highway would have to be moved to johor.

[focus]

Haha.. the news article very funny..

Vivian says somewhere someone will have to have the launch shaft up theirs.... hehe...



But will Maplewoods have a mispricing in future due to this shaft up theirs? Can buy ??

[land118]

Haha.. the news article very funny..

Vivian says somewhere someone will have to have the launch shaft up theirs.... hehe...



But will Maplewoods have a mispricing in future due to this shaft up theirs? Can buy ?? Guess, LTA would never launch a shaft up at Oxley or Istana...., other than those elite places..., rest of Singapore they can do what they want...in the name of MRT line...

Probably case of screw-up somewhere, no choice...shaft already at MW doorstep, need to endure and have it shaft up....liao. Hard luck MW, just endure..., u will be fine...:D

[mkl22]

Haha.. the news article very funny..

Vivian says somewhere someone will have to have the launch shaft up theirs.... hehe...



But will Maplewoods have a mispricing in future due to this shaft up theirs? Can buy ??

maybe in the short term, rental will be affected. but when the downtown line is completed everything will be back to normal. so no reason why prices should take a hit.

[Snail]

no way will LTA allow maplewoods to get their way. else next time for every project every few hundred meters got people KPKB and then LTA will have to address their every concerns, then no need to do any work liao.

To me, for maplewoods residents it is tough luck, but at least the station will be very near. they are lucky LTA never say acquire part of their property, like those at marymount kenna for the NS expressway.


That's fair enough if they are not jepordising people's safety. In this case the original plans did just that, though I think now the solution is better.

The rest of it, I don't care so much......traffic, a bit of noise etc. since that's always been there but certainly the main issue has been the number of trucks driving around the entrance of MW and how the cars/people can get in and out safely.

Out of curiosity I did maths on the volume of 'dirt' being removed and it easily came it to between 1500 & 2000 trucks/day, and not including the number needed for materials to enter the tunnel. Original plans had them entering/exiting (full) the job site just a couple of meters from the MW exit gate.

[windcar]

Haha.. the news article very funny..

Vivian says somewhere someone will have to have the launch shaft up theirs.... hehe...



But will Maplewoods have a mispricing in future due to this shaft up theirs? Can buy ??

If you look at the recent URA transaction, I think Maplewoods has already factor in the MRT line into their price. 1300+ psf for a 14 years old D21 condo you go decide if it is worth the price.

[land118]

If you look at the recent URA transaction, I think Maplewoods has already factor in the MRT line into their price. 1300+ psf for a 14 years old D21 condo you go decide if it is worth the price. might as well buy Nexus, newer....

[sbk]

That's fair enough if they are not jepordising people's safety. In this case the original plans did just that, though I think now the solution is better.

The rest of it, I don't care so much......traffic, a bit of noise etc. since that's always been there but certainly the main issue has been the number of trucks driving around the entrance of MW and how the cars/people can get in and out safely.

Out of curiosity I did maths on the volume of 'dirt' being removed and it easily came it to between 1500 & 2000 trucks/day, and not including the number needed for materials to enter the tunnel. Original plans had them entering/exiting (full) the job site just a couple of meters from the MW exit gate.


Are you sure? Assuming 1500 trucks/day, that means abt 1 truck per minute (1500 divide 24 divide 60) . . .how is the contractor going to fill up an entire truck in a minute's time. . .

[howgozit]

Are you sure? Assuming 1500 trucks/day, that means abt 1 truck per minute (1500 divide 24 divide 60) . . .how is the contractor going to fill up an entire truck in a minute's time. . .

Exactly! This sounds like an exaggeration.

I think the best and safest way is for LTA to acquire one block in Maplewoods itself. Cordon off the area and make it a dedicated area for shafting or whatever you call it.

After works are completed the acquired land can be resold to recoup the requisition cost. If the land has become unsuitable for high rise as a result, it can be converted for other uses like building a columbarium or something like that.

[SpinCity]

Exactly! This sounds like an exaggeration.

I think the best and safest way is for LTA to acquire one block in Maplewoods itself. Cordon off the area and make it a dedicated area for shafting or whatever you call it.

After works are completed the acquired land can be resold to recoup the requisition cost. If the land has become unsuitable for high rise as a result, it can be converted for other uses like building a columbarium or something like that.

hahahaha, sounds better than tearing down 10 shophouses at six ave since the MW owners can sort out which block to be "sacrificed" for the good of the MW residents

[EBD]

Are you sure? Assuming 1500 trucks/day, that means abt 1 truck per minute (1500 divide 24 divide 60) . . .how is the contractor going to fill up an entire truck in a minute's time. . .

Well what I would do is get 10-20 trucks and load them simultaneously........

voila - net 1 truck per minute - easy.

whether the 1500 trucks/day figure is correct is a different thing.

[ysyap]

Today's newspaper also reported the unhappiness of residents. Anyway, there's really only so much the govt can do or are willing to do. :doh:

[land118]

Well what I would do is get 10-20 trucks and load them simultaneously........

voila - net 1 truck per minute - easy.

whether the 1500 trucks/day figure is correct is a different thing. Doubt contractor can execute 1500 truck per day or 1 truck per minute. Need space for truck to park, waiting to load up, manoeurve their way in and out areas around the site.

Realistically, it's like per minutes per truck, probably 300 trucks per day.

Anyway, there will be buzzing with contruction activities whether 1500 or 300 trucks a day. Residents will be pissed.

[sbk]

Well what I would do is get 10-20 trucks and load them simultaneously........

voila - net 1 truck per minute - easy.

whether the 1500 trucks/day figure is correct is a different thing.


Have u considered if the work site has enough space to park/load 10-20 trucks simultaneously including the excavators, bulldozers, etc. ???

[Jadey]

Actually I would be concern about the long term traffic congestion outside MW once the MRT station is completed. Just wondering if there will be a long queue of cars waiting to pick up and dropping passenger at the station.

[stalingrad]

Actually I would be concern about the long term traffic congestion outside MW once the MRT station is completed. Just wondering if there will be a long queue of cars waiting to pick up and dropping passenger at the station.

yes, just look at Clementi mall. Queues of vans dropping off and picking up residents of private condos. having a MRT station at your doorsteps can be a nightmare.

[SpinCity]

Have u considered if the work site has enough space to park/load 10-20 trucks simultaneously including the excavators, bulldozers, etc. ???

That means there will be non-stop traffic flows in and out of the site 24X7?

[focus]

That means there will be non-stop traffic flows in and out of the site 24X7?

1) Noise Pollution 24x7
2) Dust Pollution 24x7
3) Light pollution 24x7 (They cannot dig in the dark..it's stadium spotlight type?).

[SpinCity]

That means there will be non-stop traffic flows in and out of the site 24X7?
So quite impossible as when I drove by, I didn't really see non-stop traffic flows in and out

[Andrew76]

Guess, LTA would never launch a shaft up at Oxley or Istana...., other than those elite places..., rest of Singapore they can do what they want...in the name of MRT line...

Probably case of screw-up somewhere, no choice...shaft already at MW doorstep, need to endure and have it shaft up....liao. Hard luck MW, just endure..., u will be fine...:D

hmm..what has this got to do with Oxley or Istana?:beats-me-man:

[SpinCity]

hmm..what has this got to do with Oxley or Istana?:beats-me-man:

I guess the point is:

this is nothing to do with Oxley or Istana,
and it will never has anything to do with Oxley or Istana

[acidic.straw]

Exactly! This sounds like an exaggeration.

I think the best and safest way is for LTA to acquire one block in Maplewoods itself. Cordon off the area and make it a dedicated area for shafting or whatever you call it.

After works are completed the acquired land can be resold to recoup the requisition cost. If the land has become unsuitable for high rise as a result, it can be converted for other uses like building a columbarium or something like that.

Best idea I heard so far :D :D :D

[Snail]

That means there will be non-stop traffic flows in and out of the site 24X7?


Correct.

Truck numbers, consider movements so trucks going in and out.....like an airport counting planes up and down, each counts as a single instance.

[acidic.straw]

Maplewoods, take a lesson from your humbler HDB dwellers. The world does not revolve around you.:tsk-tsk:

ST,Jul 18, 2011

No pain, no gain, say those living near MRT worksites

Residents say short-term inconvenience is worth it as they reap the benefits later

By Royston Sim


FOR about seven years, Madam Julie Foo had to put up with noise and dust during the construction of the Circle Line's Mountbatten Station, sited right in front of her HDB block at Old Airport Road.
A deep hole measuring 25m on all sides was dug less than 20m from the block. Called a launch shaft, the hole was put in to allow boring machines to drill a tunnel from Mountbatten Station to Dakota Station.
Madam Foo's view was marred by the sight of all those construction machines, and when work took place at night, she had trouble sleeping.
'It was difficult at first because of the dust and noise, but I thought it was worth putting up with these things short term so we could benefit in the long term,' said the 48-year-old an assistant manager.
In 2009, the station was completed and the machines removed. The noise and dust are now just a memory.
She said her flat, which she bought for $330,000, has shot up in value to about $750,000. 'I can walk to the MRT station in less than five minutes,' she added.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has used launch shafts for every underground MRT project since the 1980s.
Engineers plan for one launch shaft between every two stations so tunnelling works can take place concurrently to expedite the construction process.
The shafts hit the spotlight recently when residents of Maplewoods condominium protested against having one sited outside their compound as part of the MRT works for Downtown Line 2.
Work on the King Albert Park Station site outside the Bukit Timah Road condo was halted last month after residents voiced their concerns. Among other things, they said trucks carting debris away from the tunnelling works would endanger both pedestrians and vehicles passing by.
They questioned why LTA had not sited the station at Sixth Avenue instead. They later came up with their own proposal - to have tunnelling run from Tan Kah Kee Station outside Hwa Chong Institution to King Albert Park Station. Then, launch shafts would not be needed outside their condo or at Sixth Avenue, they argued.
However, at a dialogue last Wednesday, MP for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC Vivian Balakrishnan said work on the line would have to resume, after having been delayed for a month.
He said LTA had addressed the safety issues raised, through measures such as building a pedestrian footpath along the work site and relocating the entrance for trucks to nearby Blackmore Drive.
As for the residents' tunnelling proposal, LTA engineers said such a move would be unfeasible as it would delay the entire Downtown Line 2 project, due to be completed in 2015.
Residents who have lived near MRT construction sites say some inconvenience is inevitable.
Housewife Jane Tan, whose HDB block at Old Airport Road was just 9m from the Circle Line's Dakota Station site, recalled the roadworks and bus diversions. A trench 190m long, 30m wide and 18m deep was dug, and part of Old Airport Road was closed to traffic in 2006, so cars and public buses had to be diverted.
'There was quite a bit of noise and dust, but it was bearable,' the 55-year-old housewife recalled. 'I was afraid the works would affect the foundations of my block since they were so close. The ground sank a bit, but LTA came to touch it up.'
Residents near the Circle Line's Marymount Station had stories to tell as well. LTA encountered hard rock granite while tunnelling, so it had to resort to blasting. Residents had to endure the vibrations and the noise for more than six months.
In 2003, residents of Chuan Park in Lorong Chuan discovered that the Singapore Land Authority would be acquiring 220 sq m of land from their compound to build Lorong Chuan Station. When work began, they had to put up with noise, multiple road diversions and a temporary realignment of the condo's exit.
But to most, the inconvenience was worth it in the end.
Mr Chan Chee Keong, 68, the council chairman for Chuan Park condo, said residents there were happy that their estate had appreciated in value.
'It is worth your while to bear the pain,' he said. 'You cannot get something for nothing.'
At other condos in Bukit Timah, some residents said they too had been forced to live with certain inconveniences, even though they had not been as badly affected as residents at Maplewoods.
Still, general practitioner Sharon Yeo, 43, who lives at nearby Casa Esperanza, said: 'We have to be realistic. If we want an MRT station, we must expect some inconveniences.'
As for Maplewoods residents, the outcome of their campaign has been bitter-sweet for some.
Management consultant Steve Chu, 52, felt that LTA should have been 'a lot more forthcoming' about its planning process from the start.
'Now we have solutions, but the battle was won in a bitter-sweet fashion,' he said.
In contrast, IT consultant C.A. Chua, 38, was quite satisfied with the outcome and felt that LTA had done its part in considering residents' suggestions.
She said: 'In the end, the station will bring benefits to the residents.'
[email protected] ([email protected])

[Snail]

The fact quite a few amendments were made shows original LTA plans were not satisfactory and that in the end the LTA even agreed.

Perhaps HDB and other condos should also raise their voice from time to time and not assume the LTA is correct. In the end more changes wouldn't or couldn't be made because it was already too late, so how many of the other plans from LTA are adding costs and time here or there?

[sbk]

i think there is a difference between sending proposals to LTA for them to consider making amendments to their original plans and proposing to LTA for the launch shaft, etc. to be sited somewhere else. . .