Kent Ridge MRT station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station on the Circle Line (CCL). Located in the eponymous Kent Ridge of Queenstown, Singapore, the station is near the junction of South Buona Vista Road and Lower Kent Ridge Road. The station serves the National University Hospital and the National University of Singapore.
Initially announced as National University Hospital MRT station in 2003, the station was renamed through a public poll in 2005. Kent Ridge station opened on 8 October 2011 when Stages 4 and 5 of the CCL commenced operations. The station features Poetry Mix-Up by Mixed Reality Lab as part of the MRT network's Art-in-Transit programme.
History
The station was first announced as NUH station when the Circle Line (CCL) Stages 4 and 5 stations were revealed in 2003.[2][3] The contract for the construction of NUH station was awarded to Woh Hup (Pte) Ltd–Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co. Ltd–Alpine Mayreder bau GmbH (WH-STEC-AM) Joint Venture in 2004. The S$399.91 million (US$236.6 million) contract included the construction of Holland, Buona Vista and One-North stations.[4][5] The construction of the 8.25-kilometre (5.13 mi) bored tunnels required the use of 6.35-metre (20.8 ft) diameter Earth pressure balance (EPB) machines.[4]
In 2005, the station name was finalised as Kent Ridge.[6][7] As announced by transport minister Lui Tuck Yew during his visit to the CCL4 and 5 stations on 1 August 2011,[8][9] the station began revenue service on 8 October of that year.[10][11]
Details
Exit A in front of NUH
Kent Ridge station serves the CCL and is between the one-north and Haw Par Villa stations. The official station code is CC24.[12] Being part of the CCL, the station is operated by SMRT Trains.[13] Trains runs every 5 to 7 minutes in both directions daily.[14]
The station is located underneath the National University Hospital (NUH) Medical Centre near the junction of South Buona Vista Road and Kent Ridge Road.[15] The station is at the east of National University of Singapore (NUS) campus.[16] Other landmarks include Singapore Science Park I and Kent Ridge Park.[17] The station serves NUS internal bus shuttle services that connects the station to other areas of the NUS campus.[18]
The station is wheelchair accessible. A tactile system, consisting of tiles with rounded or elongated raised studs, guides visually impaired commuters through the station,[19] with dedicated tactile routes that connect the station entrances to the platforms.[20] Wider fare gates allow easier access for wheelchair users into the station.[20]
Commissioned as part of the Art-in-Transit programme, Poetry Mix-Up is a multimedia work installed by Mixed Reality Lab of NUS and is displayed at Kent Ridge MRT station. Commuters at the station are able to generate a poem via a SMS message, which will then be displayed on a screen situated at the station's lift shaft.[21] The artwork installation is intended to remind commuters to be more aware of their surroundings especially when using mobile devices, while at the same time aiming to revive poetic expression.[22]
References
^"Land Transport DataMall". Datamall. Land Transport Authority. Archived from the original on 14 August 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
^Frances, Joy (13 December 2003). "Completing the Circle via Holland V". Today. p. 1.
^"Stages 4 & 5 of Circle Line". Land Transport Authority. 16 November 2005. Archived from the original on 16 June 2004. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
^ ab"Singapore LTA CCL4 C855". Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co Singapore. Archived from the original on 26 November 2020. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
^"Award of Contract for Construction And Completion of Holland, Buona Vista And NUH Stations". Land Transport Authority. Archived from the original on 14 January 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
^"Finalised Names for Circle Line (CCL) Stages 4&5 Stations". Land Transport Authority. Archived from the original on 25 November 2005.
^"Station Names For Circle Line Stages 4 And 5". Land Transport Authority. 7 November 2005. Archived from the original on 23 April 2010.
^"Circle Line from Marymount to HarbourFront to open". Ministry of Transport. 1 August 2011. Archived from the original on 19 November 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
^"12 Circle Line Stations, from Marymount to HarbourFront, to Open on 8 October – Press Room – Land Transport Authority". Land Transport Authority. 1 August 2011. Archived from the original on 17 October 2017. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
^"Speech by Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam at the Circle Line Opening Ceremony on 7 Oct 2011". Ministry of Transport. 7 October 2011. Archived from the original on 1 May 2020. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
^Almenoar, Maria (8 October 2011). "Circle Line opens on Saturday after 10-year wait". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. Archived from the original on 25 June 2012. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
^"MRT System Map" (PDF). Land Transport Authority. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 August 2020.
^"Getting Around – Public Transport – Rail Network". Land Transport Authority. Archived from the original on 1 November 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
^"Transport Tools – MRT/LRT". Land Transport Authority. 6 May 2020. Archived from the original on 1 November 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
^"Kent Ridge – Map". SMRT Journeys. SMRT Corporation. Archived from the original on 6 October 2022. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
^"Kent Ridge – Exits". SMRT Journeys. SMRT Corporation. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 24 April 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^"NUS Internal Shuttle Bus (ISB) Services". NUS Campus Life (Campus Services). Retrieved 18 September 2023.
^"Tactile Guiding System: Studs and Strips to Guide Your Way". Land Transport Authority. 30 July 2021. Archived from the original on 11 September 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2021.