Singapore’s road network connects all corners of the island with more than 9,500 lane-km of roads and expressways. LTA builds, manages and maintains this extensive network and infrastructure. With roads already occupying 12 per cent of our total land area, LTA takes into account the projected growth in both existing and future areas to plan road use carefully.
To achieve our vision of a car-lite nation, we prioritise movement for the masses, with priority lanes for buses and efforts to improve first-and-last-mile connectivity to our public transport hubs.
LTA also manages vehicle ownership and usage to ensure that the traffic flows smoothly and efficiently.
Roads
Building & Maintaining Road Infrastructure
LTA builds, manages and maintains road infrastructure across the island. We upgrade existing routes to improve reliability and connectivity, and create new connections to serve growing communities. Given our land constraints, expansion and improvements to existing roads will mainly support the movement of buses to enhance public transport experience. To bring us closer to achieving our car-lite vision, new infrastructure developments are integrated to support active mobility options such as cycling and walking.
With our Walk2Ride programme, it will be easier for all commuters to walk to MRT stations and bus interchanges. This includes 200km of sheltered walkways, lifts at pedestrian overhead bridges, integrated transport hubs, which make our land transport system more inclusive for all.
Managing Vehicle Population & Traffic Flow
Traffic congestion is costly and can result in the loss of productive hours, increased environmental pollution, wasted fuel and adverse health effects. LTA manages vehicle population and road usage using the following measures:
- Vehicle Quota System
Since 1990, we have regulated vehicle growth in Singapore through the Vehicle Quota System (VQS). Given Singapore’s land constraints and competing land-use, we have gradually reduced the annual vehicle growth rate over the years and will continue to review the growth.
- Certificate of Entitlement
While we control the number of new vehicles allowed for registration, the market determines the price of owning a vehicle. To register a new vehicle in Singapore, a person must first bid for a Certificate of Entitlement (COE) which represents the right to own a vehicle for 10 years.
The vehicle quota calculation takes into account the actual number of de-registered vehicles, the allowed growth in vehicle population and adjustments arising from changes in taxi population, replacements under Early Turnover Scheme and temporary COEs that have expired or were cancelled.
In addition to the various measures in place to manage vehicle growth and road usage, LTA’s Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) Centre plays a critical role in ensuring that our roads stay safe and commuters are updated on road incidents. The ITS Centre is a traffic management nerve centre and aggregates information from the ITS network. LTA responds and shares traffic information promptly, with traffic controllers monitoring traffic flow round-the-clock.
During a traffic incident, traffic controllers despatch recovery crews and LTA Traffic Marshals to manage traffic and reduce congestion as soon as possible. The Centre also coordinates with other agencies such as the Traffic Police and Singapore Civil Defence Force where necessary needed.
To help motorists plan and adjust their routes, the Centre also sends traffic updates and travel time information via electronic signboards, OneMotoring website and on Twitter.
ERP
In operation since 1998, the locally developed Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system charges motorists when they used congested roads during peak hours. The rates vary for different roads, time periods and traffic conditions to keep traffic at an optimal speed range for road efficiency. This pay-as-you-use system manages congestion by encouraging motorists to change their mode of transport, travel route or travel time.
The ERP system:
- Minimises traffic volume on heavily used roads in the Central Business District and Orchard Road areas, as well as major expressways.
- Provides a fair price for motorists as charges are based on usage. Those who use the roads pay more, while those who use the roads less frequently or during off peak hours pay less or not at all.
- Uses a convenient and automated system that automatically deducts charges when vehicles pass through a gantry.
To manage traffic congestion in a more targeted, flexible and fairer manner, we are developing a new road pricing system based on global navigation satellite system technology (GNSS).
Read more about the ERP system, rates and gantries
Integrating Active Mobility Options for a Car-lite City
Given our land constraints and competing needs, it is not sustainable to continue to expand our road network. The long-term solution is to encourage people to reduce reliance on cars and look to the public transport system, shared transport or other transport options.
LTA is the lead agency for active mobility (AM) policies, plans, infrastructure and initiatives.
The first bicycle-sharing licence was granted by LTA in January 2017 to offer an additional option for the first-mile and last-mile connection to the public transport system.
LTA is the lead agency for active mobility (AM) policies, plans, infrastructure and initiatives.
The first bicycle-sharing licence was granted by LTA in January 2017 to offer an additional option for the first-mile and last-mile connection to the public transport system.
