Singapore's Frankenstein roads

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http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/forum-letters/story/singapores-frankenstein-roads-20130810
Letter by Ang Chin Guan

Singapore used to have smooth and beautiful roads, but not any longer.

Decades ago, after all the overhead power cables were moved and buried under the roads, there was less road "surgery" as there was not so much construction for building, drainage and telecommunications.

But around the island, it is now common to see many of our roads cut, opened up and patched up, leaving drivers with bumpy rides, traffic congestion and sinkholes.

Singapore roads are like Frankenstein's monster - put together haphazardly.

While building development is good and unavoidable, the Government should not allow every agency to run projects that involve road-digging separately.

To avoid frequent uncoordinated digging up of the roads, the various agencies - such as the Land Transport Authority, Ministry of National Development, PUB, Infocomm Development Authority and Energy Market Authority - should make a concerted effort to plan to have public services built for the long term, say up till 2030.

Should a development require services such as power supply, it should "tap off" from the connection point at the pavement or grass verge by the side of the road, thus minimising the digging up of the roads.