To cost an estimated $20 million, the structure will curve over a 220m distance through Marina Bay and complement the existing eight-lane Esplanade Bridge used by vehicles.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), in documents released this week, could not say when the bridge will be completed. It is now sourcing for consultants for the project.

The 6-m-wide bridge is being built mainly to improve the pedestrian's trek between the Esplanade and Merlion Park.

The Esplanade Bridge's 2-m-wide walkway was built before the two tourist landmarks were redeveloped and thus not designed to take large numbers of people, said the URA.

During the National Day Parade and New Year's Eve, for example, hundreds of people are known to jostle there for a good view of the fireworks that are a fixture on the programmes of these two events.

Bottlenecks also occur on on either end of the walkway on the staircases, which were designed as emergency escape routes, not as part of a pedestrian route.

And when marathons are held in the downtown area, the entire Esplanade bridge has sometimes needed to be closed off to traffic. The new bridge, at thrice the width of the walkway, will thus accommodate such sporting events.

When completed, the curved bridge will become part of a smooth 3.5km pedestrian route around Marina Bay linking its various attractions.

On the other side of the bay, another pedestrian bridge, one shaped like a double helix, is taking shape next to one being built for vehicles.

Read the full report in Friday's edition of The Straits Times.