MacPherson MRT station explained

Type:Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) interchange
Address:171 Paya Lebar Road
Singapore 409048 (CCL)
10 Circuit Link
Singapore 378956 (DTL)
Other:Bus, Taxi
Structure:Underground
Platform:4 (1 island platform, 2 side platforms)
Levels:2
Tracks:4
Passengers:15,026 per day[1]
Pass Year:June 2024
Opened: (Circle line)
(Downtown line)
Electrified:Yes
Accessible:Yes
Operator:SMRT Trains Ltd (SMRT Corporation) (Circle line)
SBS Transit DTL Pte Ltd (ComfortDelGro Corporation) (Downtown line)
Former:Ubi[2]
Map Type:Singapore Rail central area
Map Dot Label:MacPherson
Map Alt:Singapore MRT/LRT system map
Map Size:300px
Map State:collapsed

MacPherson MRT station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) interchange station on the Downtown line and Circle line in Geylang planning area, Singapore, located underneath Paya Lebar Road at the junction with Circuit Link and Ubi Avenue 2.

Named after the nearby MacPherson estate, which itself was named after Colonel Ronald MacPherson, the first Colonial Secretary of the Straits Settlements in 1867, this station serves not only the residents of MacPherson estate but also the Ubi industrial estate.

History

Contract 822 for the construction of CCL MacPherson station was awarded to Econ Corporation Ltd - NCC International AB Joint Venture at a contract sum of more than S$300 million.[3] However, in 2005, Econ Corporation later dropped out due to financial difficulties, and LTA had sought to replace the contractors involved due to 'major outstanding works' on the two stations.[4] To facilitate the construction for the CCL station, part of Paya Lebar Road, Circuit Link and Ubi Avenue 2 had to be realigned.[5] In September 2007, Chye Joo Construction won the tender to finish building the MacPherson and Tai Seng MRT stations at a contract sum of S$17.5 million.[6]

The station was opened on 17 April 2010 along with the rest of Stage 1 & 2 of the Circle line.[7] [8]

Downtown line interchange

During the CCL station's construction, provisions were made for Macpherson station to link with a future MRT line then known as the Eastern Region line(now known as DTL stage 3).Contract 931 for the design and construction of DTL MacPherson station and associated tunnels was awarded to Sato Kogyo (S) Pte Ltd at a sum of S$188 million in April 2011. Construction of the station and the tunnels commenced in the second quarter of that year and completed in 2017.[9]

The station became an interchange with the Downtown line when Stage 3 of the line opened on 21 October 2017, as announced by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on 31 May that year.[10]

Art-in-Transit

On the Circle line, the featured artwork Virtuous Cycle by Kay Kok Chung Oi signifies the symbolic meaning of this station, portraying the congregation of human dynamism and its cerebral energy, channeled and sustained by the ‘machinery’ of the station. The different colours of the arrows signify the public converging upon the MacPherson vicinity while the station is represented by the red rectangles. The station performs the role of a conduit, connecting people to MacPherson, as well as celebrating the continued vibrancy of the MacPherson community itself.[11]

Civil Defence Shelter

MacPherson station is one of eleven stations along the Circle line designated as Civil Defence (CD) shelters, which will be activated in times of national emergency. Apart from reinforced construction, the stations are designed and equipped with facilities to ensure the shelter environment is tolerable for all users during shelter occupation. These facilities include protective blast doors, decontamination facilities, ventilation systems, power and water supply systems and a dry toilet system.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Land Transport DataMall . Datamall . . 14 August 2024 . 14 August 2024 . https://archive.ph/YCbCx . live. registration.
  2. Web site: Annex A FINALISED NAMES FOR CIRCLE LINE (CCL) STAGES 1-3 STATIONS. www.lta.gov.sg. dead. http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/webarchives/wayback/20061218084252/http://www.lta.gov.sg/images/Circle%20Line%20Station%20Names%20(Annex%20A).doc. 18 December 2006.
  3. Web site: 4 Feb 2009. Projects - Rail. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090919121045/http://www.lta.gov.sg/projects/proj_rail_ccl2.htm. 19 September 2009. www.lta.gov.sg.
  4. Web site: LTA may replace Circle Line contractor. 2020-07-18. www.asiaone.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20200718013113/https://www.asiaone.com/News/The%2BStraits%2BTimes/Story/LTA%2Bmay%2Breplace%2BCircle%2BLine%2Bcontractor.html. 18 July 2020. live.
  5. Web site: 18 May 2004. Changes To Traffic Scheme At MacPherson Station. dead. https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/webarchives/2010-04-23%2022:16:55.000/wp/details/http://app.lta.gov.sg/corp_press_content.asp?start=1030. 23 April 2010. www.lta.gov.sg.
  6. Web site: Yeo. Richard. 2007-09-19. Property Highlights of Singapore: Local Firm To Finish 2 Circle Line Stations. 2020-07-18. Property Highlights of Singapore.
  7. Web site: Welcome Remarks By Mr Raymond Lim At The Opening Of The Circle Line From Dhoby Ghaut To Bartley on 16 April 2010. www.mot.gov.sg. en. 1 May 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200501111454/https://www.mot.gov.sg/news-centre/news/Detail/Welcome%20Remarks%20By%20Mr%20Raymond%20Lim%20At%20The%20Opening%20Of%20The%20Circle%20Line%20(From%20Dhoby%20Ghaut%20To%20Bartley)%20on%2016%20April%202010/. 1 May 2020. live.
  8. Web site: Circle Line from Bartley to Dhoby Ghaut to Open 17 April . 26 January 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110621220756/http://app.lta.gov.sg/corp_press_content.asp?start=kpt8zx9w8ik53wi33gr59p754348fsj35b9glldouy8ndlh7kb . 21 June 2011. www.lta.gov.sg.
  9. Web site: 29 April 2011. LTA Awards Contracts for MacPherson and Bencoolen stations Press Room Land Transport Authority. dead. https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/webarchives/2016-04-25%2019:07:12.000/wp/details/http://www.lta.gov.sg/apps/news/page.aspx?c=2&id=11zdl2ew9n6ba9fal2i7gl2lo56l7ys32orr68im3t3ka88qtd. 25 April 2016. www.lta.gov.sg.
  10. Web site: Factsheet: Downtown Line 3 to Open on 21 October 2017 Press Room Land Transport Authority. www.lta.gov.sg. en. 2017-06-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20170703204503/https://www.lta.gov.sg/apps/news/page.aspx?c=2&id=5c4e424c-1a46-44cb-92d0-212e37a2b6df. 3 July 2017. live.
  11. Web site: MacPherson Station. SGTrains.com. 18 November 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171105112435/http://www.sgtrains.com/network-ccl.html#CC10. 5 November 2017. live.