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Tampines Expressway (TPE)

Tampines Expressway (TPE), connects the junction of Seletar Expressway (SLE) and Central Expressway (CTE) at Yio Chu Kang in the north to the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) at Changi in the east. Built at a cost of $120 million, construction of the 14.4 km expressway was completed in 1996. It is an important link between the new towns of Pasir Ris, Tampines, Punggol and Seletar.

History
The project to link the north and east of Singapore with an expressway came about when the construction of the first HDB housing project in Tampines began in 1979. Until then Tampines had been a predominantly barren, sparsely-populated rural wasteland, with an occasional fruit plantation and a squatter settlement. The establishment of the Tampines New Town changed the landscape there. Concurrent to the development of housing and industrial estates all over Singapore, road links were also established. The government embarked on a 20 year expressway masterplan in the 1980s. The construction of the Tampines Expressway (TPE), which took place in three phases, commenced in the 1980s.

In the first phase, the road between PIE to Elias Road was laid. In the second phase the road between Elias Road and Lorong Halus, in the north of Paya Lebar, was laid. The second phase of the road was opened in June 1989. This stretch of the expressway, from PIE to Lorong Halus, gave easy access to Changi Airport for motorists from Hougang, Serangoon and Tampines. The third phase of the road laying involved connecting the expressway from Lorong Halus to the Seletar Expressway (SLE) at its junction with Central Expressway (CTE). Apart from signifying the end of the TPE construction, this phase also formed a vital link between Yishun and Tampines. Work began in 1992 and six contracts were awarded for the construction of this nine km portion of the expressway. Construction work also involved the building of the Punggol Flyover, at a cost of $13.2 million, which links TPE to Punggol Road. In this phase of the construction, four major road links and two vehicular bridges were built, over Sungei Serangoon and Sungei Punggol. Torie Construction, a local company, bagged the contract for the construction of the road link between TPE and SLE in 1993 for $25.45 million. Most part of the construction of the third phase was completed by 1995 but it was not opened to motorists until 1996 when a S$39 million interchange was constructed at Lorong Halus. This interchange was built over the site of a dumping ground, the Lorong Halus landfill. This third and the final phase of TPE was finally opened in August 1996.

In 1998, two new viaducts and a loop connecting TPE and PIE were constructed at a cost of $29.23 million to shorten the distance for motorists travelling from Pasir Ris and Tampines to Changi Airport. This new connection was inaugurated on 21 August 1998 by Parliament Secretary (Communications) Yaacob Ibrahim. Towards the end of 1998, construction of a $800, 000 overhead bridge across TPE began. This bridge was to link the residents of Pasir Ris South with the rest of Pasir Ris, which were on opposite sides of the expressway. Construction of the overhead bridge, which extends from Pasir Ris Loyang Neighbourhood 1 to the Pasir Ris Neighbourhood 4 was completed in 1999. In 2002, construction of the new Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway commenced, which would eventually be linked to TPE. Costing $1.8 billion, the new expressway is Singapore's most expensive road project to date and involves the construction of the longest road-tunnel in Southeast Asia. The twelve km expressway is expected to be completed by 2007.

Description
TPE is linked to Jalan Kayu at Jalan Kayu Flyover, to Tampines Road at Tampines Flyover, to Pasir Ris Drive and Tampines Ave 10 at Api Api Flyover, to Tampines Ave 12 and Pasir Ris Drive at Pasir Ris Flyover, and to Loyang Ave and Tampines Ave 10 at Loyang Flyover. Significant constructions along the road include housing units at Punggol New Town, Pasir Ris New Town and Tampines New Town. The Pasir Ris Wafer Fabrication Park is situated at the junction of TPE and Pasir Ris Drive 12 near Api Api Flyover. Meridian Primary School, Brontonsaur Park, and Coral Secondary School in Pasir Ris New Town lie along the expressway, as do Park Aquaria and Tampines Leisure Park in Tampines New Town. The expressway merges into the PIE at Upper Changi Flyover which leads to Changi Airport. The stretch of the expressway between SLE and Lorong Halus is a scenic drive with lush trees, picturesque views of mangrove swamps and beautiful farmland on its either side.



Author
Naidu Ratnala Thulaja



References 
Dhaliwal, R. (1990, February 8). Smoother ride to Changi on TPE. The Straits Times, p. 19.

Lam, J. (1996, February 10). Mah sees a colourful future for Tampines. The Business Times, p. 2.

Leong, C. T. (1996, July 8). Final phase of TPE to open next month. The Straits Times, p. 25.

Leong, C. T. (1996, January 9). Expressway laid out a year ago, but still closed. The Straits Times, p. 24.

Local firm wins tender to build TPE-Seletar link. (1993, April 13). The Business Times, p. 2.

$13 m Tampines Expressway flyover being built. (1992, August 30). The Straits Times, p. 20.

PWD awards $39m contract. (1994, June 30).The Straits Times, p. 27.

Upper East Coast Road to be extended to join PIE: Mah. (1996, February 10). The Straits Times, p. 32.

Transformation of Tampines from rural wasteland to world model. (1992, October 2). The Straits Times, p. 31.


Further Readings
Faster ride with new road interchange. (1998, August 22).The Straits Times, p. 36.

Kaur, K. (2002, November 12). $1.8b expressway to be ready by 2007; Kallang/Paya Lebar route will incorporate South-east Asia's longest road tunnel and save travelling time to the city for some. The Straits Times.

Neo, H. M., & Chan, Z. (2001, March 10). One road leads to Sengkang. The Straits Times, p. 1.

Safer link across TPE next year. (1998, December 20). The Straits Times, p. 23.

The TPE runs through it. (1996, September 6). The Straits Times, p. 10. 

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

Librarian Recommendations
>> Central Expressway
>> Seletar Expressway (SLE)


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