Road Noise Barrier Trial Extended and Low-Noise Road Surfacing to be Tested

     The Land Transport Authority (LTA) will install noise barriers along the at-grade section of the Pan Island Expressway (PIE) next to Swiss View and Greenbank Park to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of implementing noise barriers along at-grade expressways. This is an extension of an ongoing trial for noise barriers.

2.   The location was selected because this stretch of the PIE has recently been widened, bringing the carriageway closer to residents.

Noise Barrier Limitations

3.   Unlike viaducts and flyovers, at-grade expressways often have roadside trees, street furniture, utilities, roadside drains and uneven terrain, all of which can prevent construction of barriers or limit their effectiveness. The inclusion of an at-grade location into the ongoing trial will also enable LTA to make a more comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness of at-grade noise barriers.

4.   Spanning about 400 metres along the edge of each bound of the PIE, the barriers will be built to a height of about 6m. LTA will call a tender for the installation works which will begin in 2016.

5.   In the on-going trial of noise barriers on viaducts and flyovers, LTA has installed noise barriers along Anak Bukit Flyover in October last year. LTA is also installing barriers at West Coast Highway near Block 44, Telok Blangah Drive, and the new flyover along Braddell Road near Block 138, Bishan Street 12.

6.   While these noise barriers are not intended nor designed to completely block out traffic noise, the trial will however allow for an evaluation of overall effectiveness and visual impact of such barriers. In addition, LTA will assess the challenges in installation and maintenance, before determining the suitability of these noise barriers for other locations.

Low-Noise Road Surface Testing

7.   At the same time, LTA will call a tender for the trial development and implementation of a low-noise surfacing on our roads. As traffic noise is mainly generated from friction between road surfaces and car tyres, LTA will study whether the inclusion of such materials as latex or rubber into the current asphalt mix is effective in reducing traffic noise at source.

8.   LTA will also gauge the susceptibility of the low-noise road surfacing to wear and tear, as part of the criteria to determine if it is suitable for use. The development of the low-noise road surfacing is expected to start in 2016.

9.   The noise barrier and low-noise road surfacing trials are part of efforts to mitigate road traffic noise levels and improve our living environment as Singapore becomes increasingly built-up.