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MCE jams: What caused the traffic snarls along the new Marina Coastal Expressway on Monday?

Heavy traffic and traffic jam along the Marina Coastal Expressway photographed on Monday, Dec 30, 2013, in the late morning to noon. Motorists experienced jams along the new Marina Coastal Expressway (MCE) and some surrounding roads on Monday. T
Heavy traffic and traffic jam along the Marina Coastal Expressway photographed on Monday, Dec 30, 2013, in the late morning to noon. Motorists experienced jams along the new Marina Coastal Expressway (MCE) and some surrounding roads on Monday. The Straits Times identified three main choke points where traffic slowed considerably. -- ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH

Motorists experienced jams along the new Marina Coastal Expressway (MCE) and some surrounding roads on Monday.

Earlier in the day, travel was slow on several segments of the MCE and surrounding roads. Some motorists said they were stuck on the $4.3 billion expressway for nearly an hour.

The Straits Times identified three main choke points where traffic slowed considerably.

Choke point 1: Exit 14B from East Coast Parkway (ECP) to the MCE
Reasons for slow traffic:

  • The road turns quite sharply from the ECP into the MCE.
  • The road narrows from four lanes along the ECP to two lanes at Exit 14B into the MCE.
  • There are two confusing signs near Exit 14B. One is for Central Boulevard and one for the MCE towards AYE,


Choke point 2: Exit 5 from MCE to ECP
Reasons for slow traffic:

  • The road narrows from five lanes along the MCE to two lanes at Exit 5 into the ECP.
  • There are not enough lane markings before the exit to indicate which lanes on the MCE are bound for the ECP. This caused some motorists headed for the ECP to filter from the right to left only near the exit.


Choke point 3: Exit 3 from MCE to Central Boulevard

Reasons for slow traffic:

  • Many motorists heading towards Shenton Way and the Marina Bay Financial Centre used Exit 3 on the MCE to enter Central Boulevard, causing congestion.Motorists going to Shenton Way could have used Exit 1 further down instead of Exit 3.
  • There is some construction in the area around Central Boulevard, with some road realignments, causing some confusion.


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