Choa Chu Kang MRT Station

Choa Chu Kang MRT/LRT station (NS4/JS1/BP1) is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT) interchange station in Choa Chu Kang, Singapore. It is an interchange between the North South line and Bukit Panjang LRT, serving as the western terminus of the latter.

The station sits in between Choa Chu Kang Bus Interchange and Lot One, at the heart of the Choa Chu Kang town centre.

Currently, the station's LRT platform is the only station on the Bukit Panjang LRT to use a Spanish solution, and is the second rail station in Singapore to use such a configuration after VivoCity station on the Sentosa Express. It is also one of the three interchange stations on the Singapore MRT/LRT system to be fully elevated; the other two being Jurong East MRT station and Tanah Merah MRT station.

Choa Chu Kang station is proposed to become an interchange with the Jurong Region Line, which is slated for completion in 2026. It will be the northern terminus of the Main Branch of the Jurong Region Line. Trains entering service at this station will terminate at Jurong Pier via Bahar Junction.

History

The MRT station was opened on 10 March 1990 and was the terminus of the Branch Line. Construction began on 15 February 1986. With the opening of the North South Line Woodlands Extension on 10 February 1996, the branch line was incorporated into the North South Line. Terminating facilities for Marina South Pier-bound trains are still present. The LRT station opened on 6 November 1999, alongside the rest of the Bukit Panjang LRT line. The station was third one to have an Xchange after those in the underground Dhoby Ghaut and Raffles Place, making the station the first to have an Xchange above-ground and in a residential neighbourhood.

Northbound train services from Yew Tee to Bukit Gombak were disrupted for about 50 minutes on 7 April 2008. A man was hit by a train at Choa Chu Kang station at 8am. He was subsequently pronounced dead by paramedics. A bus-bridging service was deployed between Yew Tee and Bukit Gombak stations as trains were made to turn around at Yew Tee, Bukit Gombak and Choa Chu Kang stations.

As a safety precaution of 2008 accident, automatic platform gates were installed since 26 August 2011 on the North South Line platforms and commenced operation on 21 October 2011. HVLS fans in the MRT platform commenced operations on 10 October 2012. The LRT platform also features fans as of 27 September 2015.

On 31 October 2012, LTA announced that Choa Chu Kang LRT station will have two more platforms, specifically for commuters to exit the trains to allow the existing platform in the centre to have more space to cater to boarding passengers. There will also be additional fare gates and a new covered linkway from the LRT station to Lot One. These new additions which also include widening the staircase between the MRT and the LRT stations will be completed by 2016. New Exit E was opened at the same time, to Lot One Shoppers Mall but despite that, there is no lift access, only stairs. The two newly constructed platforms at the LRT station began operations on 27 December 2016. The two new side platforms, platforms 3 and 4, lack lift access so passengers who needs to take the lift when alighting at Choa Chu Kang LRT station have to wait for the doors to open to the island platform (platforms 1 and 2), where lift access is available. Stickers to remind passengers to exit at platforms 1 or 2 if they need a lift to exit are placed on all the LRT doors.

In 2016, platforms 1 and 2 of the LRT had half-height platform barriers installed. Choa Chu Kang (and Bukit Panjang) was the first to install half-height platform barriers due to the high commuter traffic at this station. Half-height platform barriers were installed at platforms 3 and 4 during construction.

Choa Chu Kang was the temporary terminus from Marina South Pier during the early closures, late openings and full closures from 8 December 2017 to 31 December 2017. Alternate trains also terminate at Yishun.

Text imported from Wikipedia article "LRT station" and modified on July 23, 2019 according to the CC-BY-SA 4.0 International license.