World's first 'four-in-one' transport depot at Singapore's East Coast nears completion, to open in 2026
The new East Coast Integrated Depot will feature three train depots stacked on top of each other alongside one bus depot, all within a single site.
by Justin Ong Guang-Xi · CNA · JoinSINGAPORE: External works for the world's first four-in-one depot - and Singapore's largest - is 98 per cent done, with the facility slated to open in 2026.
The new East Coast Integrated Depot will feature three train depots stacked on top of each other alongside one bus depot, all within a single site. It will be able to hold up to 220 trains and over 500 buses.
Internal works like the fitting of rail tracks, as well as the installation of electrical and mechanical (E&M) and system services are ongoing and currently 83 per cent complete, according to the Land Transport Authority (LTA).
Integrating the four depots into a single site is expected to save around 44 hectares of land - equivalent to about 60 football fields - compared to constructing the depots separately, said LTA.
In addition, the integration of three MRT depots has saved about S$2 billion (US$1.49 billion) in costs. The cost of construction is estimated to be 40 per cent less than if the three MRT depots and bus depot were built separately, LTA added.
A media tour on Wednesday (Nov 27) showed that some features, such as sound-absorbing panels and solar panels on the roof, have been installed.
Construction began in 2016, with completion initially scheduled for 2024. However, in 2022, the timeline was adjusted to 2025 due to delays caused by the pandemic. The completion date was subsequently revised again to 2026.
The train depot complex comprises three levels: The Downtown Line depot is located underground, the Thomson-East Coast Line depot is on the ground level, and the East-West Line depot is on the level above.
The three depots are designed to operate independently of one another.
“Careful planning has been done for the three depots to share the same layout so that MRT lines with different numbers of train cars can be stacked on top of one another,” said LTA.
To facilitate the connection of tracks between the East-West Line and integrated depot, train services between Tanah Merah and Tampines MRT stations will be suspended from Dec 7 to Dec 10.
The three-storey bus depot, which can charge around 240 electric buses, is located next to the train depot.
LTA said in 2022 that the bus depot would be able to hold up to 760 buses, but later revised the figure to "over 500".
The integrated depot is one of several large-scale depot projects set to open in Singapore by the end of the decade.
The Sengkang West multi-storey bus depot, which begins operation early next year, is set to support the large-scale deployment of electric buses. Another multi-storey bus depot, built along Yishun Avenue 8, is slated to open in 2029.
Engineers faced several challenges in constructing the East Coast integrated depot.
During the excavation phase, more than 1,000 piles were found on the site, which used to house a sewage treatment plant. Piles are columns driven into the ground to support structures and transfer their load to more solid soil or rock.
Builders employed several different methods to remove the piles, from installing a casing around the pile and removing the surrounding soil, to deploying a boring rig to crush the pile before removing it.
Heavy machinery also had to be moved safely across soft ground. Steel decking normally is used to achieve this, in which steel is used in the construction of concrete floor slabs. However, the installation and removal of steel decking is often laborious and time-consuming, said LTA.
Instead, contractors used a "Mega Mat" system to provide temporary access over soft or unstable ground. This system utilises large interlocking mats that are easy to install.
This method thus helped to improve productivity and meet project deadlines, said LTA.
LANDMARK NUMBERS
Over the course of the project, about 3.6 million metres cube of earth was excavated, roughly the volume of 1,440 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
About 1.19 million metres cube of concrete was poured - 10 times the amount of concrete used for the construction of Tampines MRT Station.
The depot also required 202,000 tonnes of reinforcing bars, which is 27 times the amount of steel used to construct the Eiffel Tower in Paris. These metal bars are used to strengthen concrete structures.
The depot spans 36 hectares, which is equivalent to the size of 51 international football stadiums.
"These figures underscore the immense scale and engineering feats involved in creating such a massive and critical infrastructure project for Singapore's public transport system," said LTA.
ARCHITECTURAL INNOVATIONS AND CHALLENGES
The depot, which is located along Upper Changi Road East, will feature 8,831 vented panels on its facade that will optimise natural ventilation and lighting. This will minimise the need for mechanical cooling systems in the depot.
At the bus depot, sound-absorbing fibreboard panels will be installed on the columns that help reduce noise during operations.
On the sustainability front, 7,750 solar panels will be installed on the roof of the bus and rail depots. This is estimated to slash the depot's carbon footprint by 3,900 tons of carbon dioxide a year.
There will also be "green roofs" on the bus and rail depots consisting of plants grown on a soilless medium.
Aside from cooling temperatures within the depot, the 47,000 sqm of greenery can also remove around 84 tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere annually.
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