Springleaf MRT station

 TE4 
Springleaf
春叶
ஸ்பிரிங்லீஃவ்
Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station
Platform level of Springleaf station
General information
Coordinates1°23′52″N 103°49′06″E / 1.3978°N 103.8182°E / 1.3978; 103.8182
Owned byLand Transport Authority
Operated bySMRT Trains Ltd (SMRT Corporation)
Line(s)
  Thomson–East Coast Line
Platforms2 (1 island platform)
Tracks2
Construction
Structure typeUnderground
Platform levels1
AccessibleYes
History
Opened28 August 2021; 2 years ago (2021-08-28)
ElectrifiedYes
Previous namesNee Soon Village, Thong Soon[1][2]
Services
Preceding station Mass Rapid Transit Following station
Woodlands South
towards Woodlands North
 Thomson–East Coast Line Lentor
towards Gardens by the Bay
Location
Singapore MRT/LRT system map
Singapore MRT/LRT system map
Springleaf
Springleaf station in Singapore

Springleaf MRT station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station on the Thomson–East Coast line (TEL) in Singapore. Situated along Upper Thomson Road, it serves the neighbourhood of Springleaf and the nearby Springleaf Nature Park. It will also serve future housing developments in the Springleaf area. The station is operated by SMRT Trains.

First announced in August 2012 as part of the Thomson line (TSL), the station was constructed as part of TEL Phase 2 (TEL 2) after plans for the TSL and the Eastern Region line (ERL) were merged. The station was built close to the shophouses along Upper Thomson Road. An earth retaining stabilising structure was installed to minimise ground movement. Along with the TEL 2 stations, Springleaf station opened on 28 August 2021 and features an Art-in-Transit artwork Tree of Memories by Koh Hong Teng.

History

The station during its construction in 2018
Exit 2 of the station
Exit 3 of the station

The station was first announced as part of the 22-station Thomson line (TSL) on 29 August 2012.[3][4] In November 2013, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) awarded Contract T208 for the design and construction of Springleaf Station and associated tunnels to Leighton Contractors (Asia) Limited (Singapore Branch) – John Holland Pty Ltd Joint Venture (JV) at S$383 million (US$306.1 million). The station's construction began in 2014, with a scheduled completion date of 2020.[5][6]

Another contract for the construction of bored tunnels from Seletar Expressway to Springleaf station (alongside other facilities) was awarded to Shimizu Corporation at a sum of S$189.8 million (US$149.8 million) in January 2014.[7][8] On 15 August 2014, the LTA further announced that the TSL would merge with the Eastern Region line to form the Thomson–East Coast line (TEL). Springleaf station, part of the proposed line, would be constructed as part of TEL 2, consisting of six stations between this station and Caldecott.[9][10]

Springleaf station was built only seven metres (23 ft) away from the shophouses located along Upper Thomson Road.[11] To minimise ground movement and any damage to the shophouses, cement was mixed into the ground while an earth-retaining stabilising structure was installed to strengthen the soil. Cranes and heavy machinery had to be carefully installed, with restricted movements to avoid endangering the shophouses and patrons. Barriers were installed to minimise noise pollution, and workers draped noise curtains on heavy machinery.[12] Meanwhile, the LTA collaborated closely with a power supplier PowerGrid to construct a cable tunnel through the station.[13]

With restrictions imposed on construction due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the TEL 2 completion date was pushed to 2021.[14] On 14 December 2020, it was further announced that the opening of TEL 2 was delayed to the third quarter of 2021 so the rail system software for the line could be reviewed.[15][16][17] As announced during a visit by Transport Minister S. Iswaran at Caldecott station on 30 June 2021,[18] the station began operations on 28 August 2021.[19]

Details

Springleaf station serves the TEL of the Singapore MRT system. Between the Woodlands South and Lentor stations, the official station code is TE4.[20] Being part of the TEL, the station is operated by SMRT Trains;[21] train frequencies on the TEL range from 5 to 9 minutes.[22]

The station has three entrances that serve the Springleaf Nature Park, Thong Soon residential estate and the shophouses along Upper Thomson Road.[23][24] The station will also serve future housing developments in the area.[25] The Art-in-Transit artwork for the station Tree of Memories is displayed on the station's lift shaft. The artwork depicts shophouses in the vicinity enveloped by a banyan tree that can be seen at the nearby Springleaf Nature Park,[26][27] intended to illustrate the "spatial connection" between people and nature.[28]

References

  1. ^ "Public Poll for Thomson Line Station Names". Land Transport Authority. Archived from the original on 25 April 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  2. ^ "Thomson Line Station Names Finalised". Land Transport Authority. Archived from the original on 6 January 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  3. ^ Sim, Royston (29 August 2012). "New Thomson MRT line to open from 2019, and have 22 stations". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 29 August 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  4. ^ "Thomson Line to open from 2019 with 22 stations". Channel NewsAsia (CNA). 30 August 2012. Archived from the original on 30 August 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  5. ^ "LTA Awards Two Contracts for Thomson Line's Springleaf and Upper Thomson Stations". Land Transport Authority. 13 February 2020. Archived from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  6. ^ "Construction of Springleaf Station and Tunnel for Thomson-East Coast Line Contract T208". Leighton Asia. 13 September 2018. Archived from the original on 17 January 2021. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  7. ^ "Civil Contract Awarded for the Construction of Thomson Line's Tunnels to Springleaf Station". Land Transport Authority. 24 January 2014. Archived from the original on 17 October 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  8. ^ "2nd Pre-qualification Notice For Thomson Line: Civil Contract T207" (PDF). Land Transport Authority. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 January 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  9. ^ "Joint News Release by the Land Transport Authority & Singapore Land Authority – Thomson-East Coast Line: New MRT Links in the East". Land Transport Authority. 19 August 2014. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  10. ^ "Thomson–East Coast Line". Land Transport Authority. 13 February 2020. Archived from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  11. ^ "'More than a day to bore through 10cm of rock': Making Stage 2 of the Thomson-East Coast Line a reality". CNA. 16 August 2021. Archived from the original on 28 August 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  12. ^ Toh, Ting Wei (16 August 2021). "Treading a fine line in building Thomson-East Coast Line stations". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 28 August 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  13. ^ "Factsheet: Progress Update on Thomson-East Coast Line Stage 2". Land Transport Authority. 17 January 2020. Archived from the original on 3 October 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  14. ^ "Second stage of Thomson-East Coast Line to open early 2021 after delays due to COVID-19: Ong Ye Kung". CNA. 4 September 2020. Archived from the original on 13 September 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  15. ^ Ho, Grace (14 December 2020). "Stage 2 of Thomson-East Coast Line to be delayed by another six months to Q3 2021: LTA". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 17 December 2020. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  16. ^ "Stage 2 of Thomson-East Coast Line to be delayed by another six months". The Business Times. 14 December 2020. Archived from the original on 17 December 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  17. ^ "Second stage of Thomson-East Coast Line further delayed to third quarter next year". CNA. 14 December 2020. Archived from the original on 17 December 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  18. ^ Abdullah, Zhaki (30 June 2021). "Second stage of Thomson-East Coast Line to begin operations on Aug 28". CNA. Archived from the original on 30 June 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  19. ^ Begum, Shabana (28 August 2021). "Commuters on first trains at new TEL2 stations reminisce about inaugural 1980s MRT rides". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 28 August 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  20. ^ "MRT System Map" (PDF). Land Transport Authority. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 September 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  21. ^ "Getting Around – Public Transport – Rail Network". Land Transport Authority. Archived from the original on 1 November 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  22. ^ Toh, Ting Wei (27 August 2021). "Thomson-East Coast Line stage two opens on Aug 28; trains to arrive every five minutes at peak hours". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 28 August 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  23. ^ "Springleaf – Exits". SMRT Journeys. Archived from the original on 28 September 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  24. ^ "Factsheet: Thomson–East Coast Line Stage 2 to Welcome Commuters from 28 August 2021". Land Transport Authority. 28 August 2021. Archived from the original on 30 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  25. ^ Ng, Keng Gene (6 June 2022). "Natural and built heritage to be conserved as Springleaf forested area is developed". The Straits Times. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  26. ^ Wei, Toh Ting (20 August 2021). "Unique designs, seats with backrest among features at new Thomson-East Coast Line stations". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 28 August 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  27. ^ "Banyan trees and bulbuls: How Thomson-East Coast Line Stage 2 stations were inspired by nature". CNA. 20 August 2021. Archived from the original on 28 August 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  28. ^ "Art in Transit". Land Transport Authority. Archived from the original on 23 January 2022. Retrieved 17 February 2022.

External links

  • Media related to Springleaf MRT Station at Wikimedia Commons
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