CRL2 - The next steps

Previously we had posted about the stages leading up to a rapid transit line's announcement to give everyone an idea of the steps leading up to the line's announcement & subsequent construction. With the official unveiling of the station locations for phase 2 of the Cross Island Line (CRL) on Tuesday, we are now well within the announcement & tendering phase. Albeit some preparatory works are remaining and will be ongoing till the construction phase commences later.

Network map of CRL phases 1 & 2 and the Punggol Extension

With the line's alignment officially announced, the next step will be for the tendering of contracts for award. Based on the pre-qualification, we understand there to be approximately 8 civil contracts - the contracts for structural works. Given that contract CR202 is currently being tendered for the tunnels between Bright Hill station and a shaft at the edge of the Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR), it would be assumed that the 8 contracts refer to contract numbers commencing at CR203.

Details of civil contract pre-qualification for CRL2

Since the ill-fated Contract 824 for the construction of the Circle Line (CCL) Nicoll Highway and Boulevard (Stadium) stations in 2004, we have noted that the Land Transport Authority has avoided using contract numbers with the digit "4". Prior to the collapse at the Nicoll Highway station site, there were several contracts which had included the number "4" - such as contracts 481 & 482 which were for sections of the Marina Coastal Expressway, contract 854 as part of the CCL stage 4 and contract 704 for the construction of Serangoon & Woodleigh stations on the North East Line.

The rail line constructed following the CCL was the Downtown Line which had contracts 903 & 905, 913 & 915 and 923 & 925. There were notable absences of contracts 904, 914 & 924. The avoidance of digit 4 in construction contracts was not limited to rail projects either, with the on-going contracts for the North South Corridor project having contracts N103 & N105 and N113 & N115 but not N104 or N114.

Given a history of the avoidance of the use of contract numbers including the digit "4", we will be excluding contracts ending with the digit 4 likewise. For a total of 8 civil contracts, starting after the already tendering contract CR202, the below should be the list of civil contracts up for tender for CRL2.

The next step following the line's announcement will be the tendering of the contracts for bidding by the pre-qualified contractors. A further round of pre-qualification may take place to further shortlist contractors appropriate for the individual contracts. Seeing how there are only 6 stations in this phase, we believe that some of the civil contracts will entail the construction of tunnels only, with others being a mixture of stations and tunnels.

We look forward to the next step in getting the line closer to becoming a reality and eagerly await for the commencement of contract tendering.

This post is also available on Instagram.