North-South Corridor construction delay: academics urge better management of commuter fatigue

Academics from the Singapore University of Technology and Design say the delay of the North-South Corridor to a 2029 opening has extended years of disruption for residents and businesses. They argue that the cumulative burden of repeated route changes, noise and dust deserves more attention, and cal

SINGAPORE: The delay of the North-South Corridor's opening to 2029 has prolonged a period of adjustment that has already lasted years for residents and businesses along the route, two academics from the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) have argued.

Dr Samuel Chng, Research Assistant Professor and head of the Urban Psychology Lab at the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, and Dr Sarah Chan, Chan Heng Chee Research Fellow at the same centre, wrote in a commentary published on Tuesday (6 Oct) that while the corridor promises better connectivity, the question is how to care for the people living and working through the transition.

Construction on the North-South Corridor began in 2018 and was initially scheduled to open in stages from 2027. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has cited difficult ground conditions and the complexity of working close to existing roads, utilities and operating MRT infrastructure for the revised timeline.

Chng and Chan note that each change — a diverted footpath, a relocated crossing, a harder-to-find shop entrance — may appear minor, but together they can make everyday life considerably more frustrating. Research on rail commuters has found an association between perceived unpredictability and greater stress, they point out, suggesting that the ability to anticipate disruption matters for people's ability to adapt.

The academics also highlight the cumulative dimension of the disruption. An additional walk or a delayed bus may be manageable on any given day, but repeated over months and years alongside noise, dust and other demands, these adjustments can feel exhausting. A revised completion date adds to this burden because it changes the endpoint around which people have organised their expectations.

They call for measures to make changes easier to anticipate: timely, location-specific updates through familiar channels, clear signs on the ground, and information about how long arrangements are expected to last. Where schedules remain uncertain, explaining that uncertainty and indicating when the next update will come can help people plan.

Physical arrangements deserve equal attention, they argue. A temporary path that remains in use for years warrants careful consideration of accessibility, lighting, surfaces and wayfinding. Signs should make clear that shops behind hoardings remain open and show customers how to reach them. Local feedback can help identify problems that are difficult to anticipate from a construction plan.

LTA has said that roads and footpaths will begin to be reinstated from 2028. Chng and Chan say updates on when neighbourhood routes and spaces are expected to reopen would help people understand how conditions may improve before the entire project is finished.