In place of roads, they should build a short tram line instead! One that ran from Fullerton Hotel down to Raffles City. Sure it might be a bit of waste of money, but it would be a small step towards a possible extensive plan of bringing trams back to Singapore like the 1910s... Keep up the great work! 👍
Actually plenty of streets in KL can be pedestrianized, with better planning and better planned bus routes around city since LRT and MRT are overwhelming during peak hours.
Loved it that you’ve put a face to what’s already an engaging video. You really do bear a resemblance to a much younger and endearingly nerdy version of LHL. Your reporting style and diction have improved a lot from your earliest videos. Keep it up!
Great to see these improvements in Singapore, and the video is excellent, as always. However, it would be interesting to know the following as well; 1) How well connected these pedestrianized roads are to the rest of the neighborhoods, so people can walk and bike to these places easily? 2) To what extent the pedestrianization of those roads enhance the walkability and bikability of the surrounding areas? Please consider making a follow up video on those.
At the NE corner of this pedestrianized area there's an underpass complex beneath the junction of Nicoll H'way, Esplanade Dr, Stamford Rd & Raffles Ave, made wheelchair accessible with stair lifts. It not only brings accessibility to this place frm Esplanade, CityLink Mall, 1 Raffles Pl & Marina Sq but is big enough to accommodate youths practicing skateboarding inside. Meanwhile additional covered walkways have been built along Coleman St & N Bridge Rd to connect the pedestrinized area (including the _Padang_ adjacent to Connaught Dr) to City Hall MRT station
8 months ago Not Just Bikes made a video on Paris and how it is rapidly making itself more bikable. Do you think Singapore would benefit from copying Paris' approach?
definitely, with tweaks to accommodate the local climate! i believe that SG has even greater potential than Paris as most people here don't even own a car!
it's part of the raffles town plan, so in that sense, yes. but many historical buildings are also demolished around that area, so what was the old civic center is a lot smaller. ( the Raffles's plan's commercial square is the current Raffles Place's ground level "plaza" )
Still a long way to go before I can cycle from Punggol or Sengkang into Little India on the main road with my foldie. That would be my dream. SG drivers will require some re-education on how to share spaces with the two-wheelers and cyclists should receive some education on how to safely cycle on the road starting from school at a young age. What better way to incalculate safe riding/driving practices by starting young. I've personally found the 4-lanes of the CBD and the extra-wide lanes of Sengkang/Punggol residential roads (as an example) to be wasteful. There would've been a better use of the land space if SG wasn't so car-oriented. Reducing the lane width and opening up cycle lanes would not only slow-down cars but also make it safer since everyone would have to go at a lower speed.
Ironically, it probably felt more alive when there were vehicles passing through it. I don't have a lot of hope that the pedestrianised Connaught drive will become a place of activity and culture. In all the times I've visited it, day and night, only the lawn in front of Victoria Concert Hall, far far removed and across the bridge from Conanught drive, is active. The drive is just a thoroughfare for people to walk or cycle through, and is hardly bustling at all, except for a couple of skateboarders. Singapore has always struggled to activate its pedestrian spaces from the ground up, without relying on commercial activity or some instagrammable light exhibition. But with the new plans to turn it into a green, lush walk, the drive will be further cemented into it's role as a solemn serene walk, rather than a place that represents the activity of the city. You might argue that Singapore needs more park spaces, but the civic district sorely lacks wide open public space for people to do whatever they want with no programmatic engineering. Think about it - the pavement between riverside buildings and the Singapore river is only wide enough to accommodate people walking in 2 directions, and the Padang is not open to public use because half the time there's some tent on it. The civic district feels sleepy. But I'm not advocating for a gentrifying style of pedestrian space activation, I think it should be comfortable for all classes and backgrounds, I just don't know how that would look like without the typical bazaar and family picnics thing.
very good points raised! strongly agree with you regarding the importance of wide open spaces in the city area! i've been reading up articles and journals about public spaces in singapore and i'm starting to realise that our public spaces can be much better than what they are today! thank you so much for sharing your thoughts!
it's great that the government is starting to pay attention to the quality of city life for the 90% of us who don't own a car. It still raises questions about the new expressways like the NSC being built and the various stroads that continue to plague the city area like Orchard. Are these huge new roads really necessary? Still optimistic nonetheless.
The NSC is an integrated thoroughfare which includes bus lanes, cycling lanes and pedestrian paths, and motor roads all in one project. In a way, it will greatly benefit residents living in the northern and city fringe areas to get to the CBD easily by buses and cycling. Likewise, I will support the CTE to be decommissioned and coverted into more bus lanes, cycling lanes and make way for a new MRT line.
SG is weird to me. At some places, they care so much abt pedastrians (over bridges with lift) And some places like orchard road wheellock place crossing where you have to use complex confusing and time consuming system to just cross the road
The street that goes alongside Takashimaya and Wisma Atria was hell on earth for pedestrian when I was there between 2010-2016. At least there is an underpass but I'd rather go through from Orchard Stn instead
![Why I'm Doing What I'm Doing - Creating the Cycling City [CC01]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/03_6zjEkK0o/mqdefault.jpg)
![Why I'm Doing What I'm Doing - Creating the Cycling City [CC01]](/img/tr.png)
It always seems like such a big deal to get a space to be more pedestrianised. But once it’s there no one ever wants to change it back. Great vid.
except those that think that it would "save 3 minutes driving down that road" and then we are back into the loop of depression again.
I agree with your use of the term "re-opening of the street". I often use the term "reclaiming the streets" myself
Great pedestrianizing story on Cannot Drive!
In place of roads, they should build a short tram line instead! One that ran from Fullerton Hotel down to Raffles City. Sure it might be a bit of waste of money, but it would be a small step towards a possible extensive plan of bringing trams back to Singapore like the 1910s...
Keep up the great work! 👍
Yea I agree
It will make traveling much easier instead of using a car all the time to travel around Singapore
Hmm, our next LRT
I will also like more Rails
Except that area has to remain relatively functional, Its one of the few links over the river and the next one is a ways away
Great video. Streets should be a place for people where cars are merely guests.
Another amazing video! Really hope to see more places in Singapore being pedestrianised.
Really cool video! The most striking thing to me is definitely the sound!
Face reveal of the future transport minister. Love to see it!
Underrated urbanist
Love your channel and love the redefining of these projects as street reopenings.
Waaah I've been waiting for your new video 👍🏼
i always walk/ cycle by this area! so interesting
Recently there was news of Orchard Rd from Buyong to Handy Rd will be pedestrianised
exciting times!
@@tehsiewdai yup!
Nice vid, and hello real life teh
P.S. if u visit Jalan TAR if u ever go to KL, then visit on Sundays for a car-free experience
such a misoppurtiunites for them to not pedestrianize wholesale, it worked for Masjid India.
@@indenturedLemon yeah, it could be better if more streets were pedestrianised
Actually plenty of streets in KL can be pedestrianized, with better planning and better planned bus routes around city since LRT and MRT are overwhelming during peak hours.
thanks for sharing!
they should rename it to Connaught Walk
Loved it that you’ve put a face to what’s already an engaging video. You really do bear a resemblance to a much younger and endearingly nerdy version of LHL. Your reporting style and diction have improved a lot from your earliest videos. Keep it up!
For a moment I thought you would be talking about the future pedestrianisation of Orchard Road around the Istana.
that's an exciting project, can't wait to see how it'll turn out!
Great to see these improvements in Singapore, and the video is excellent, as always. However, it would be interesting to know the following as well;
1) How well connected these pedestrianized roads are to the rest of the neighborhoods, so people can walk and bike to these places easily?
2) To what extent the pedestrianization of those roads enhance the walkability and bikability of the surrounding areas?
Please consider making a follow up video on those.
good points - i'll keep them in mind!
At the NE corner of this pedestrianized area there's an underpass complex beneath the junction of Nicoll H'way, Esplanade Dr, Stamford Rd & Raffles Ave, made wheelchair accessible with stair lifts. It not only brings accessibility to this place frm Esplanade, CityLink Mall, 1 Raffles Pl & Marina Sq but is big enough to accommodate youths practicing skateboarding inside. Meanwhile additional covered walkways have been built along Coleman St & N Bridge Rd to connect the pedestrinized area (including the _Padang_ adjacent to Connaught Dr) to City Hall MRT station
Please do a video about Singapore public housing!
8 months ago Not Just Bikes made a video on Paris and how it is rapidly making itself more bikable. Do you think Singapore would benefit from copying Paris' approach?
definitely, with tweaks to accommodate the local climate! i believe that SG has even greater potential than Paris as most people here don't even own a car!
Surely Pedestrianising Connaught drive helped in attracting Large crowds for F1 this year
is that part of SG the “old town”?
it's part of the raffles town plan, so in that sense, yes.
but many historical buildings are also demolished around that area, so what was the old civic center is a lot smaller. ( the Raffles's plan's commercial square is the current Raffles Place's ground level "plaza" )
Still a long way to go before I can cycle from Punggol or Sengkang into Little India on the main road with my foldie. That would be my dream.
SG drivers will require some re-education on how to share spaces with the two-wheelers and cyclists should receive some education on how to safely cycle on the road starting from school at a young age. What better way to incalculate safe riding/driving practices by starting young.
I've personally found the 4-lanes of the CBD and the extra-wide lanes of Sengkang/Punggol residential roads (as an example) to be wasteful. There would've been a better use of the land space if SG wasn't so car-oriented. Reducing the lane width and opening up cycle lanes would not only slow-down cars but also make it safer since everyone would have to go at a lower speed.
Connaught Drive = Cannot Drive. 😂
Ironically, it probably felt more alive when there were vehicles passing through it.
I don't have a lot of hope that the pedestrianised Connaught drive will become a place of activity and culture. In all the times I've visited it, day and night, only the lawn in front of Victoria Concert Hall, far far removed and across the bridge from Conanught drive, is active. The drive is just a thoroughfare for people to walk or cycle through, and is hardly bustling at all, except for a couple of skateboarders.
Singapore has always struggled to activate its pedestrian spaces from the ground up, without relying on commercial activity or some instagrammable light exhibition. But with the new plans to turn it into a green, lush walk, the drive will be further cemented into it's role as a solemn serene walk, rather than a place that represents the activity of the city. You might argue that Singapore needs more park spaces, but the civic district sorely lacks wide open public space for people to do whatever they want with no programmatic engineering. Think about it - the pavement between riverside buildings and the Singapore river is only wide enough to accommodate people walking in 2 directions, and the Padang is not open to public use because half the time there's some tent on it.
The civic district feels sleepy.
But I'm not advocating for a gentrifying style of pedestrian space activation, I think it should be comfortable for all classes and backgrounds, I just don't know how that would look like without the typical bazaar and family picnics thing.
Good points. But it can be a good bicycle thoroughfare.
very good points raised!
strongly agree with you regarding the importance of wide open spaces in the city area!
i've been reading up articles and journals about public spaces in singapore and i'm starting to realise that our public spaces can be much better than what they are today!
thank you so much for sharing your thoughts!
it's great that the government is starting to pay attention to the quality of city life for the 90% of us who don't own a car. It still raises questions about the new expressways like the NSC being built and the various stroads that continue to plague the city area like Orchard. Are these huge new roads really necessary? Still optimistic nonetheless.
If NSC, which is mostly underground, could pave the way to demolish the CTE, I am all for it!
huge roads? definitely not!
The NSC is an integrated thoroughfare which includes bus lanes, cycling lanes and pedestrian paths, and motor roads all in one project. In a way, it will greatly benefit residents living in the northern and city fringe areas to get to the CBD easily by buses and cycling.
Likewise, I will support the CTE to be decommissioned and coverted into more bus lanes, cycling lanes and make way for a new MRT line.
😍
SG is weird to me.
At some places, they care so much abt pedastrians (over bridges with lift)
And some places like orchard road wheellock place crossing where you have to use complex confusing and time consuming system to just cross the road
The street that goes alongside Takashimaya and Wisma Atria was hell on earth for pedestrian when I was there between 2010-2016. At least there is an underpass but I'd rather go through from Orchard Stn instead