Plans to widen part of Pasir Panjang Road have met opposition from some residents in a private estate association. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced last week that a 3.9km stretch of Pasir Panjang Road and West Coast Road between South Buona Vista Road and West Coast Link will be expanded from one lane each way to two in each direction.
In a letter to Member of Parliament (MP) Lim Hng Kiang last week, two of the residents suggested building more bus bays to ease traffic congestion instead.
They expressed concerns that the project would "significantly impact amenity in this peaceful urban enclave" and have an impact on more than 100 mature trees at the roadside.
They also asked Mr Lim, the Minister for Trade and Industry and MP for West Coast GRC, to support their request that the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) consult Pasir Panjang Private Estate Association residents on the issue before it is implemented.
Mr Nick Jacobs, one of the letter's authors, said any congestion is largely caused by buses stopping along the road. "Traffic can be improved by implementing bus bays. Widening doesn't necessarily solve the problem. It will encourage more people to use the road," he said.
Mr Jacobs, 41, a public relations director, noted that the project includes building a direct link between Science Park Road and West Coast Highway. "This removes the need to widen Pasir Panjang Road as much of the traffic in the area comes from Science Park," he added.
Mr Ben Low, an executive committee member of the association who has lived in the area for 25 years, said traffic is mostly light except for between 7:30am and 8:30am, and from 5:00pm to 7:00pm. The 63-year old added, "You don't burn the house just to catch the rat... if more bus bays can be built, there won't be any traffic congestion.
"Widening the stretch to two lanes each way and adding a direct link will increase overall road capacity to meet the anticipated increase in traffic volume from future developments," an LTA spokesman said. He added that road alignment will minimise the number of trees affected and even more trees will be planted after the works are completed.
Still, residents hope the plan can be rethought. Mr Low said, "Even if they replant the trees, a newly transplanted one is different from a 50-year one."
