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Kranji Expressway (KJE)

Kranji Expressway, built in 1994, is a 8.4 km expressway linking the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) and the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE), at the Tengah flyover, near Hong Kah. It is one of the first few roads of Singapore to feature a new anti-skid surfacing.

History
In 1990, the Public Works Department received a S$1.1 billion budget from the government to construct and develop roads all over the island over a period of five years. This was in tune with the government's plan to develop the northern and western parts of Singapore into residential and industrial places of choice. The road development work included widening, expanding and re-aligning portions of existing expressways, such as the PIE, BKE and CTE (Central Expressway). It also included building underground roads, tunnels, viaducts, semi-expressways and flyovers. The construction of 13 new interchanges and the construction of a road linking BKE and PIE were also included in the plan. This new road was probably named Kranji Expressway as it passed through the Kranji estate in Woodlands, connecting it to Jurong.

Construction of the $128 million expressway began in April 1990 and it was completed in six stages. The expressway was initially laid in parts from the Choa Chu Kang New Town to Woodlands Road and was later connected to Bukit Timah Expressway. One of the more difficult jobs in laying the expressway was the clearing of a 1,000 cu m large granite outcrop along the way, for which 300 kg of explosives was used. The expressway project included awarding of five contracts covering different jobs in the road construction. Concurrently both the PIE and the AYE were developed. The PIE was developed at a cost of S$180 million and it was extended until Tuas. Construction of this work began in 1991 and it was completed in 1994. Similarly in 1993, the existing Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim was upgraded and extended from Jurong Town Hall Road to Tuas, thus incorporating it into the existing AYE. This development was completed in 1994. The existing AYE until then only connected the junction of CTE and East Coast Parkway to Jurong Town Hall Road. The entire network of linking roads came about by the construction of KJE connecting the BKE in Woodlands to the PIE at Hong Kah, the extension of PIE from Hong Kah to Tuas and the extension of AYE from Jurong Town Hall Road to Tuas to join the PIE. This extensive network presented unlimited possibilities for new developments, both residential and industrial, as accessibility between the western and northern regions of the island is enhanced. Its most marked effect was on the Choa Chu Kang estate which it helped transform from a backwater town into a thriving housing estate.

Description
The KJE is linked to the Bricklands Road at the Lam San Flyover, to Choa Chu Kang Way at the Choa Chu Kang West Flyover, to Cho Chu Kang Drive at the Choa Chu Kang East Flyover, to Woodlands Road at the Yew Tee Flyover and to Bukit Timah Road at the Goli Batu Flyover. One unique feature of the KJE was the use of a special tar-like asphalt substance as a surface material to minimise the risk of skidding. KJE was one of the first few roads to feature this new surfacing in 1994 which cost S$6.1 million. This anti-skid feature was later incorporated into other roads as well. The Kranji Expressway was inaugurated on the 4 March 1994 by the Acting Development Minister Lim Hng Kiang.

Kranji Expressway serves residents of Bukit Panjang, Choa Chu Kang, Bukit Batok and Jurong. As it connects Jurong to Woodlands, the expressway is a faster alternative to Malaysians who travel here from Johor to work in factories in Jurong and Tuas. Slip roads have been built to provide access between roads at ground level and the expressways.

Significant construction along the expressway include private and public housing units, most of which were constructed after the laying of the expressway in 1994. The Yew Tee MRT which opened with the rest of the Woodlands MRT Line on 10 February 1996 also played a pivotal role in the development of Choa Chu Kang estate. The URA released its Development Guide Plan in 1996, soon after the opening of the Yew Tee MRT, with the vision of transforming the Choa Chu Kang estate into a residential district.



Author
Naidu Ratnala Thulaja



References 
Ayer Rajah Expressway to be extended all the way to Tuas. (1993, December 5). The Straits Times, p. 30. 

Better roads, more tunnels and viaducts: Where and when. (1990, March 16). The Straits Times, p. 26. 

Blasting resumes for Kranji Expressway. (1993, October 15). The Straits Times, p. 25.

Dhaliwal, R. (1993, December 5). PIE extension opens with better skid-resistance. The Straits Times, p. 30.

Dhaliwal, R. (1995, March 5). $1.9 b for roads over next 5 years. The Straits Times, p. 3.

Expressway will benefit Bukit Batok, Jurong, Bukit Panjang, Choa Chu Kang residents. (1994, June 12). The Straits Times, p. 26.

Kranji Expressway: Work begins on Choa Chu Kang interchange. (1992, October 3). The Straits Times, p. 25.

Leong, C. T. (1994, June 12). New Kranji Expressway to have safer rainy-weather road surface. The Straits Times, p. 26.

Nathan, D. (1999, January 23). Golf courses take up 2-1/2 AMK towns. The Straits Times, p. 3.

PIE will reach Tuas by '94. (1992, January 08). The Straits Times, p. 3.

Tan, C. (1996, May 17). URA to turn Choa Chu Kang into choice residential district. The Straits Times, p. 64.

Tan, C., & Yeo, S. (1996, May 19). Choa Chu Kang: on the fast track to growth. The Straits Times, p. 5. 

Wee, A. (1995, July 13). Northern region: home to private industrial developments. The Business Times, p. 2.

Work on Kranji Expressway. (1991, October 31). The Business Times, p. 2.

Work on Kranji Expressway's second phase under way. (1991, October 31). The Straits Times, p. 18.

The information in this article is valid as at 2003 and correct as far as we can ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.

Subject
Commerce and Industry>>Transportation
Express highways--Singapore
Roads--Singapore
Science and technology>>Engineering>>Transportation engineering

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