Bukit Merah's elderly residents can look forward to safer roads

Bukit Merah is the first among five estates to benefit from the Land Transport Authority's Silver Zone programme, which aims to make roads safer in areas with a large population of senior citizens, reported The Sunday Times.

These zones will be fitted with features that encourage motorists to slow down, while reminding elderly pedestrians to be careful when crossing the road.

For instance, enlarged centre dividers ensure that seniors can cross in two stages at their own pace instead of rushing across. In addition, the speed limit in such zones has been reduced to 40km/h where possible. Chicanes, or gentle curves along sections of roads, and pinch points that narrow lanes have also been introduced to ensure that cars do not speed within the zone

The programme will be completed in Jurong West, Bedok and Yishun in the first quarter of next year and in Marine Parade in the first quarter of 2016. All these areas have had higher rates of accidents involving senior citizens.