Boon Lay MRT Station

Boon Lay MRT station is a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station on the East West line (EWL) in Jurong West, Singapore. Situated along Boon Lay Way, the station is integrated with the Boon Lay Bus Interchange and Jurong Point as part of the Boon Lay Integrated Transport Hub. Other landmarks surrounding the station include the SAFRA Clubhouse and Jurong West Public Library.

Initially announced as Jurong West MRT station, the station was briefly shelved before the decision was reversed in August 1987. The EWL station opened on 6 July 1990 and was the last station to be completed on the initial MRT network. It was the terminus of the EWL until the line's extension to station in 2009. In May 2018, it was announced that the station would be an interchange with the Jurong Region line when the first stage opens in 2027.

History

The station, then named Jurong West, was included in the early plans of the MRT network in May 1982, and would have been built as part of Phase II of the initial MRT system. In March 1986, however, the MRT Corporation (MRTC) said the station was shelved due to delays with Housing Development Board's (HDB) development plans for the area. The telecommunications cables and antenna farms in the area had to be relocated to facilitate the expansion of Jurong West new town, which was estimated to take six years. As the HDB decided to proceed with development plans after an agreement with Telecoms for them to vacate the site, the MRTC decided on 7 August 1987 to construct the station.

The contract for the construction of Boon Lay station and of viaducts was awarded to a joint venture between RSEA International and Hock Lian Seng Engineering in May 1988 for S$34.19million (US$ million in 2021). The last viaduct beam between Boon Lay and Lakeside was laid on 12 August 1989, marking the end of viaduct works for the initial MRT system. On 10 March 1990, it was announced that the station would open on 6 July. Before the station's opening, the Boon Lay Bus Interchange opened on 1 July to allow more convenient transfers between transport modes. The completion of the initial MRT system and the station's opening was celebrated at a ceremony in Westin Stamford at Raffles City.

In 2002, new drop-offs and pick-up points were built at the station as many people were parking or stopping along Jurong West Street 64. In 2012, half-height platform screen doors was installed at this station as part of the Land Transport Authority's (LTA) programme to improve safety in MRT stations. High-volume low-speed fans were installed above the platforms of the station between 2012 and 2013 as part of a national programme to improve ventaliation at station platforms.

Boon Lay Extension

Plans for an MRT extension to Tuas or the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) was first announced in 1994. The Boon Lay MRT Extension (BLE) was finalised in December 2004 to serve increased transport demand in Jurong Industrial Estate. Following its completion on 28 February 2009, it was reported that the BLE had relieved crowding at the station as some private bus operators had shifted operations to Joo Koon station.

Jurong Region line

On 9 May 2018, the LTA announced Boon Lay station will interchange with the proposed Jurong Region line (JRL). The station will be constructed as part of Stage 1 (JRL West), consisting of 10 stations from Choa Chu Kang to Bahar Junction and two branches to and this station. This stage was expected to be completed in 2026. However, restrictions on construction due to the COVID-19 pandemic has led to delays, with the completion date pushed to 2027.

The contract for the design and construction of Boon Lay JRL station and associated viaducts was awarded to China Communications Construction Company Limited (Singapore Branch) for S$172 million (US$ million) in February 2020.

To facilitate the JRL construction, road diversion works for Jurong West Street 64 began in June 2022, alongside the relocation of a bicycle park near the station. Piling works were carried out from August to December 2022. A temporary protection enclosure was installed over the EWL tracks. The assembly of viaduct segments commenced in February 2023.

Station details

Boon Lay station serves the EWL and is between the and stations. The station code is EW27. Being part of the EWL, the station is operated by SMRT Trains. Boon Lay station will be a future interchange with the JRL, located between the and stations. The EWL station is located along Boon Lay Way while the JRL station is along Jurong West Street 64.

The station is integrated with the Boon Lay Bus Interchange and Jurong Point Shopping Mall as part of the Boon Lay Integrated Transport Hub. Landmarks surrounding the station include Jurong West Community Building, Jurong West Sports Complex, SAFRA Clubhouse (Jurong) and Jurong West Public Library.

There is also a mural on display as part of SMRT's Comic Connect, which is a public art showcase of heritage-themed murals by the train operator. The mural for this station was created by local artist Muhammed Nurman bin Selamat and primarily depicts businessman Chew Boon Lay, which is the namesake of the area. It also depicts rubber plantations in the area during the early 20th century, the Tuas Pek Kong Keng Temple, the headquarters of ST Engineering, and Boon Lay Shopping Centre.

References

External links

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LTA – New Releases – Expanding The Rail Network: LTA To Build Boon Lay MRT Extension

{{DEFAULTSORT:Boon Lay MRT station
Railway stations in Singapore opened in 1990
Jurong West
Mass Rapid Transit (Singapore) stations