Commuters face daily traffic jams in Loyang Avenue due to construction work, increased road use

SINGAPORE – Nursing student Esther Loro, 16, often has to leave home before sunrise to get to school on time.

The Pasir Ris resident now walks 12 to 15 minutes to a bus stop in Loyang Avenue each morning to avoid traffic near her block. From there, she takes bus service 9 to ITE College East in Simei.

Without congestion, her commute takes about 25 minutes. On most days, however, traffic in Loyang Avenue stretches the journey to 45 minutes. Earlier in March, it took her 1½ hours to get home when the bus she was on was caught in a gridlock.

“I was very frustrated,” she said. She now leaves home at 6.35am to reach school by 8am.

But she takes the delays in her stride. “There’s not much they can do. (There’s) no point in complaining while they’re improving the city,” she added.

Loyang Avenue is a major construction corridor, and the area has been experiencing persistent traffic jams because of various construction works, as well as increased activity in Loyang Industrial Estate and from residents living in the area, said Pasir Ris-Changi GRC MP Valerie Lee.

Construction of the 2.6km Loyang Viaduct has been ongoing since at least 2022, while Loyang MRT station – part of the Cross Island Line Phase 1 – is being built beneath the road near Loyang Lane. The underground station is expected to open around 2030 and the viaduct is expected to be completed by end-2028.

A stretch of Loyang Avenue between Pasir Ris Drive 3 and Loyang Way has been closed since 2023 until the second quarter of 2029 for the construction of Loyang MRT station and Loyang Viaduct.

Esther’s experience reflects a broader problem for residents and workers who rely on Loyang Avenue.

Mr Yeo Shuan Chee, 55, who works at Changi Cargo Complex, said his commute to and from his home in Tampines has become increasingly unpredictable. While it typically takes him about 50 minutes to get home, a recent trip on March 6 stretched to 1½ hours during the evening peak period.

On some mornings, he came close to being late for work, he said, recalling one instance when buses were stuck for about 30 minutes as traffic ground to a halt.

He said the deployment of auxiliary police officers at junctions has helped ease congestion, though lighter traffic during the March school holidays may also be a factor.

Mr Yeo suggested introducing dedicated bus lanes so that public transport would not be delayed by heavy traffic.

And the delays are expected to get longer.

In an advisory to Loyang Industrial Estate occupants on March 18, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Traffic Police said that one lane in Loyang Avenue towards the TPE will be closed from March 24 until the third quarter of 2027 to support the construction of Loyang Viaduct.

This will reduce the number of southbound lanes in Loyang Avenue to three.

The closure, between Pasir Ris Drive 1 and the TPE, is expected to add up to 15 minutes to travel time during peak hours. The LTA and Traffic Police advise motorists to avoid the area between 5pm and 6.30pm on weekdays and to use alternative routes where possible.

In the meantime, efforts are under way to manage congestion.

Ms Lee said she is working with the LTA and Traffic Police to address the gridlock in Loyang Avenue.

In a Facebook post on March 14, she detailed measures that have been taken, including deploying auxiliary police officers at key junctions such as Pasir Ris Drive 1, Pasir Ris Drive 3 and Old Tampines Road, and activating the Traffic Police when needed.

Ms Lee noted that vehicles blocking yellow box junctions are a major cause of gridlock.

Traffic light timings in nearby roads – including Flora Road, Upper Changi Road North and Old Tampines Road – have also been adjusted to improve flow towards the TPE, while non-essential roadworks requiring lane closures are restricted to off-peak hours.

“Severe congestion and gridlock, though rare, are unacceptable,” Ms Lee told The Straits Times on March 18.

A gridlock on March 6 prompted the measures now in place, she said.

Ms Lee said the congestion is driven by a mix of factors, including traffic volume and lane closures, and noted that there was also a car breakdown in the area that day.

However, she said the most striking issue on March 6 was that yellow box junctions were completely blocked by vehicles. Residents had shared photos with her showing the junctions choked with cars.

Since the measures were implemented, she has received positive feedback from residents.

Despite the measures, some residents remain sceptical.

A 60-year-old retiree, who wanted to be known only as Mr Lee, said construction, including MRT works and multiple road projects, in the Loyang area has been ongoing for many years.

While he understands that the works will improve the transport infrastructure in the area, “there are too many projects going on at the same time”, he said, adding that current measures “may help a bit” but are unlikely to provide a long-term solution. “We just have to wait for construction to be completed.”

Ms Lee said that while upcoming lane closures may concern residents, she has urged the LTA to take proactive steps to minimise traffic build-up and respond quickly to incidents.

Mr Jon Tay, 38, who lives in Pasir Ris Link, said congestion has added 20 to 30 minutes to his daily commute. The project manager now takes about an hour to one hour and 15 minutes to drive to Buona Vista.

He said traffic along Loyang is worsened by heavy vehicles serving the nearby industrial estate.

Although conditions have improved following recent measures, he noted that this may be due to the school holidays and fewer cars on the road.

“The real test will be next week when most are back to work,” he said.