Waterloo Street to get facelift with wider pavements, new public spaces by 2027
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An artist’s illustration of public events and activities taking place in Waterloo Street.
PHOTO: URA
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- Waterloo Street will be enhanced by 2027 with wider sidewalks and more trees, improving walkability and creating public spaces.
- Roadside parking will be removed, and new water and electrical points will be installed for outdoor events and community activities.
- Improvements include a covered walkway and a pick-up and drop-off shelter, building on earlier Bras Basah-Bugis district enhancements.
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SINGAPORE – By 2027, visitors to Waterloo Street can expect a more pleasant walking experience, with wider pavements and more sun-shading trees.
The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) on Dec 11 announced that existing roadside parking will be removed and pavements will be widened along Waterloo Street between Middle Road and Bras Basah Road.
The agency said these improvements will provide new pockets of public spaces for outdoor events and community activities, in addition to making the area more walkable.
The improvements, which will take place along a roughly 340m-long stretch of the street, will also include new water supply and electrical points for events and activities. URA said that the planned improvements took in feedback gathered through engagements with stakeholders – such as arts groups located in the area – and the public.
In a Facebook post on Dec 11, Second Minister for National Development Indranee Rajah said a tender for enhancement works has been called, noting that those who had given feedback are hoping for a more accessible and inviting streetscape.
According to tender documents, works will take about 14 months to be completed from the time the tender – which is set to close on Jan 12, 2026 – is awarded.
Four new potable water tap points will be installed, with three on the side of the street that houses several arts groups such as the Singapore Calligraphy Centre and Theatre Practice, while the fourth will be installed in front of Waterloo Centre.
A new pickup and drop-off shelter will also be built in front of Waterloo Centre, a mixed-use public housing development with flats and commercial spaces, said the URA.
Nearby, a covered linkway will be built across Waterloo Street. This will be connected to a new covered walkway that runs along Hotel Waterloo Singapore, leading to the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA).
A new footpath will also be built along Waterloo Link, a 100m-long slip road that connects Queen Street and Waterloo Street.
Ms Indranee said the planned improvements to Waterloo Street build on earlier improvements in Bras Basah-Bugis – Singapore’s arts and heritage district.
The 95ha district was conceived as part of the Master Plan for the Civic and Cultural District, which was published by the URA in 1988.
Since then, improvement works have taken place in the district over several decades, such as in portions of Albert Street and Waterloo Street, which were pedestrianised and officially reopened as Albert Mall in 1998.
In more recent years, other areas within the district were pedestrianised – segments of Queen Street, which were completed in 2014, and portions of Bencoolen Street, completed in 2017.
Segments of the pavement in Coleman Street have also been widened while Armenian Street was pedestrianised.
URA also noted that a new cycling path along the stretch of Bencoolen Street between Rochor Road and Middle Road was completed in November, connecting the Bras Basah-Bugis district and the Civic District for cyclists.
Ms Indranee said the wider pavements in Bencoolen Street have enabled ground-up initiatives such as art markets and student-led installations by NAFA to take place.
“Together, these efforts help bring our Master Plan 2025
URA said the street enhancements in the Bras Basah-Bugis district will offer more opportunities for community stakeholders to take part in placemaking efforts, citing the installation of public furniture in Queen Street and Bencoolen Street as an example.
Placemaking refers to the process of making a place more lively and vibrant, through various means such as inserting new infrastructure or organising programmes and activities.
Mr Xavier Tan, head of NAFA’s estate management office, said that the school and URA have been discussing ideas on how the experience of visitors to the district can be improved, and how community engagement with the arts can be deepened.
He added that the improvements in Bencoolen Street have enriched the daily experience of the school community.
“The wider footpaths and expanded public spaces have given our students, staff, and visitors more room to engage with the arts beyond the classroom, whether through street photography, outdoor sketching, or informal gatherings,” he said.
On the upcoming improvements, Mr Tan said they will create more opportunities for NAFA to bring the arts into public spaces, such as by expanding the school’s monthly weekend market – which is currently held within its campus’ sheltered walkway – into adjacent open areas.
“This would allow the public to encounter student works, performances, and creative pop‑ups more organically as part of their weekend activities,” said Mr Tan.
