Several roads and spaces will be closed due to countdown congestion in the Marina Bay area on New Year's Eve. The police have warned the public to expect crowd control measures and bag checks.
Large crowds and heavy traffic are expected at the Marina Bay Singapore Countdown on Dec 31, police said yesterday. About 300,000 people are expected at the event, comparable to last year's figure.
Jointly organised by Esplanade and the Urban Redevelopment Authority, it will feature a 3D projection mapping display on the facade of The Fullerton Hotel and culminate in an eight-minute fireworks extravaganza that will stretch across the length of Marina Bay.
Also in the area is Mediacorp's countdown concert at The Float @ Marina Bay, at which US singer Adam Lambert is performing.
To prevent overcrowding, police will be regulating the number of people entering nearby areas such as The Promontory, Esplanade Park and Marina Bay Sands Promenade.
Pedestrians will not be allowed to congregate on the footways along the Esplanade Bridge and Bayfront Avenue along the Helix Bridge. The footway along Benjamin Sheares Bridge will be closed from 6pm to 1am. MRT trains may also bypass affected stations in the vicinity of the Esplanade and Marina Bay to alleviate congestion.
Crowd control barricades and directional signs will be put up to help with crowd dispersal, while bags and personal items may be subjected to security checks.
Members of the public are advised to cooperate with police during such checks.
Police also warned the public to be vigilant against pickpockets, and also highlighted past incidents in which individuals took advantage of the festivities to spray foam onto victims and molest them.
More than 20 roads and streets in the Marina Bay area will be affected by closures.
Some, such as Marina Boulevard, Esplanade Drive, Fullerton Road and Collyer Quay, will be fully closed to traffic, while certain lanes or sections in others will also be affected during the night. Traffic direction will be reversed along the carriageway of Temasek Avenue in the direction of Bayfront Avenue during the countdown period.
Auxiliary policemen will be stationed at all affected road junctions to regulate traffic and help motorists. Signs will be put up, and motorists are encouraged to get the latest traffic updates over radio.
Parking at peripheral roads and stopping vehicles along the Benjamin Sheares Bridge to watch the fireworks is not allowed. Errant motorists will have enforcement action taken against them, and parked vehicles causing obstructions will be towed away.
Olivia Ho
