Singapore Transport Officials Announce Circle Line Extensions

Singapore transport officials announced train line extensions sure to delight commuters and Singapore condo owners alike. The transit agency responsible for trains bisecting the country announced extensions to the Circle Line, with stations at Bayfront and Marina Bay. The extensions will increase access to downtown, decreasing commutes and raising new property values in the process.

Transit minister Lui Tuck Yew announced this at the groundbreaking ceremony for Downtown Line 3 (DTL 3), promising that the new extension stations would be open January 14th.

The Circle Line extensions are set to serve as connectors, bringing the Circle Line into the new Downtown Line ecosystem. The DTL 3, a massive public works project that has been in the works since 2009, will add 16 stations for commuters in the east to shuttle easily, to and from, the Central Business District. The complete line is set to open in 2017, further extending the downtown footprint and helping increase Singapore property development. When complete, the line is estimated to improve commute times for eastern residents up to 60 percent.

With trains running at seven-minute intervals, commuters will have plenty of chances to catch a train. The Bayfront station is expected to improve traffic to the nearby Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort and Gardens by the Bay, with five entrances linking to the facility.

The transit minister’s office expects ridership to improve dramatically with the new extension stations, ramping up excitement for the DTL 3 opening. The ministry will continue to add stations as they go to create a more interconnected transit system, as studies have shown commitment to light rail improves Singapore property, business and condo values.

“We expect ridership to grow gradually to about 400,000 in six to nine months time, as more commuters experience the convenience and connectivity the entire Circle Line brings to our rail network,” Lui said in a statement.