Stevens MRT station

Stevens MRT station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) interchange station on the Downtown (DTL) and Thomson–East Coast (TEL) lines. Situated at the junction of Stevens Road and Bukit Timah Road, it serves the nearby Singapore Chinese Girls' School and St. Joseph's Institution, as well as the Raffles Town Club and the surrounding private estates.

DT10  TE11  Stevens 史蒂芬 ஸ்டீவன்ஸ்
Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) interchange
Exit C (now Exit 5) of Stevens MRT station
General information
Location	92 Stevens Road Singapore 257877 (DTL)^[1] 82 Stevens Road Singapore 257879 (TEL)^[2]
Coordinates	1°19′12″N 103°49′34″E / 1.320069°N 103.825997°E / 1.320069; 103.825997
Owned by	Land Transport Authority
Operated by	SBS Transit DTL Pte Ltd (ComfortDelGro Corporation) (Downtown line) SMRT Trains Ltd (SMRT Corporation) (Thomson–East Coast line)
Line(s)	Downtown Line   Thomson–East Coast Line
Platforms	4 (2 stacked platforms, 1 island platform)
Tracks	4
Connections	Bus, Taxi
Construction
Structure type	Underground
Platform levels	3
Accessible	Yes
History
Opened	27 December 2015; 7 years ago (2015-12-27) (Downtown line) 13 November 2022; 12 months ago (2022-11-13) (Thomson–East Coast line)^[3]
Electrified	Yes
Previous names	Whitley, Wayang Satu^[4]
Passengers
August 2020	2,373 per day^[5]
Services
Preceding station Mass Rapid Transit Following station Botanic Gardens towards Bukit Panjang Downtown Line Newton towards Expo Caldecott towards Woodlands North Thomson–East Coast Line Napier towards Gardens by the Bay Mount Pleasant towards Woodlands North Thomson–East Coast Line Future service
Track layout Legend to Caldecott   B2 (upper) to Newton →   ← to Botanic Gardens B4 (lower)   B3 (middle) to Napier
Location
Stevens Stevens station in Singapore

The station was first announced in July 2008 as part of DTL Stage 2 (DTL2) and opened on 27 December 2015. Two new exits at Dunearn Road and Whitley Road opened on 23 November 2019. In August 2012, it was announced that the station would interchange with the planned TEL. Provisions had been made for a future line (TEL) to interchange the DTL Initially expected to be opened in 2021, the TEL station only opened on 13 November 2022 along with the TEL Stage 3 (TEL3) stations.

Stevens station showcases two art pieces as part of the MRT network's Art-in-Transit programme. The DTL entrance features PIN – 23040 by Om Mee Ai, while the TEL concourse features A Syllabus For Stevens by Shubigi Rao.

History

Downtown line

Construction progress of the DTL station

 

Stevens station under construction in January 2012

 

Near completion of the station entrance in September 2014

The station was first announced as part of Downtown Line Stage 2 (DTL2) on 15 July 2008.^[6] After a public poll in 2009, the station kept its working name of "Stevens".^[4][7][8]

The contract for the design and construction of Stevens station and associated tunnels was awarded to Sembawang Engineers and Constructors Pte Ltd for S$378.2 million (US$260.02 million) in July 2009. The contract also included the construction of the adjacent Botanic Gardens station. Construction of the station was scheduled to commence in the third quarter of 2009 and targeted to complete by 2015.^[9]

The station opened on 27 December 2015 along with the other DTL Stage 2 stations.^[10][11] Two other entrances, Exits B and C, opened on 23 November 2019.^[12] The 65-metre (213 ft) underpass was built using new tunnel technology, a rectangular tunnel boring machine (RTBM), which minimised disruptions on the ground and enabled the construction to be completed ahead of schedule.^[13][14]

Thomson-East Coast Line Interchange

Construction progress of the TEL station

 

Construction of the TEL station in September 2017

 

The TEL entrance nearing completion

Stevens station was first announced to be an interchange station with the planned 22-station Thomson line (TSL) on 29 August 2012.^[15][16] The contract for the design and construction of Stevens TEL Station and associated tunnels was awarded to Daewoo Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd for S$441 million (US$348 million) in April 2014.^[17] Construction of the station began in January 2015,^[18] and was expected to be completed in 2021.^[17]

On 15 August 2014, the LTA further announced that the TSL would merge with the Eastern Region line to form the Thomson–East Coast line (TEL). Stevens station, part of the proposed line, would be constructed as part of TEL3, consisting of 13 stations between Mount Pleasant and Gardens by the Bay.^[19][20] With restrictions imposed on construction due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the TEL3 completion date was pushed by one year to 2022.^[21] On 9 March 2022, Transport Minister S Iswaran announced in Parliament that TEL 3 would open in the second half of that year.^[22]

As confirmed during a visit by Iswaran at the Outram Park and Maxwell stations on 7 October 2022,^[23][24][25] the TEL station began operations on 13 November.^[26]

Details

Platforms of the station

 

DTL Platform A

 

DTL Platform B, which is on a different level from Platform A

 

TEL platforms

Stevens station is an interchange station on the DTL and TEL. The official station code is DT10/TE11. On the DTL, the station is between the Botanic Gardens and Newton stations. On the TEL, the station is between the Caldecott and Napier stations.^[27] Train frequencies on the DTL range from 2 to 5 minutes,^[28] while train frequencies on the TEL range from 5 to 6 minutes.^[29]

Located at the junction of Bukit Timah Road and Stevens Road, the station is next to the Wayang Satu Flyover and the Bukit Timah Canal.^[1][2] The station serves the schools of Singapore Chinese Girls’ School, St. Joseph's Institution, and Chinese International School. It is also close to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau Reporting and Heritage Centre and the Tanglin Community Centre.^[30]

Due to the nearby flyover and canal, Stevens is one of the smallest MRT stations on the DTL. As a result, the LTA and the contractor had to implement the stacked platform arrangement, with each platform serving each direction on different levels. The station has a depth of 34.22 metres (112.3 ft).^[31] Stevens is the first station to have a set of fare gates serving each of the platforms, to allow public access for the rest of the station.^[32][33]

Artwork

PIN – 23040

A 24-metre (79 ft) long mosaic, PIN – 23040 by Om Mee Ai, is displayed at this station as part of the MRT network's Art-in-Transit programme, a public art showcase which integrates artworks into the MRT network. The artwork consists of hand-printed stamp patterns of nutmeg and rubber seeds in earthy shades of stone grey, timber brown and olive green, referencing the natural heritage of the area.^[34][35][36] The artwork name, PIN, refers to "Patterns in Nature", with 23040 referencing the stamp patterns.^[37] The artist intends to remind commuters of the "distinct historical and natural identity" of the locality, where many exotic plantations grew during the 19th century.^[34][38][39]

The manual stamping process is intended to reference the "childhood play of the past", while the line-up of the stamps in 480 by 48 grids represents the methodical method of crop harvesting. The artwork was manually stamped by the LTA staff, station architects and contractors along with SCGS students and staff, who were all eager to participate.^[36] Any imperfections during the stamp printing were embraced as part of the artwork. After the work was stamped, layers of translucent paint were applied until they achieved a simmering effect.^[37]

A Syllabus For Stevens

 

A Syllabus For Stevens along the TEL concourse

A Syllabus for Stevens, by Shubigi Rao, depicts shelves of books with a hundred engraved titles.^[40] Rao created the artwork in collaboration with students from the Raffles Girls' School.^[40][41] The titles, which include In Search Of The Elusive, Or How To Find Missing Socks, and Guide To Scoring A Date, are meant to reflect "the humour and intelligence of schoolgirls".^[40] A layer of limestone chalk overlay the books, an allusion to chalk on slate – this pun reflects the artist's passion for books and play on words. The work was inspired by the schools surrounding the station.^[41]

Notes and references

1. "Stevens MRT Station (DT10)". OneMap.
2. "Stevens MRT Station (TE11)". OneMap.
3. "11 Thomson-East Coast Line stations to open on Nov 13; free rides available on Nov 11". CNA. from the original on 30 November 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
4. "Downtown Line 2 Station Names Shortlisted for Public Polling | Press Room". www.lta.gov.sg. 10 October 2008. Archived from the original on 25 April 2016.
5. "Land Transport DataMall". mytransport.sg. from the original on 21 August 2020. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
6. . www.lta.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 27 May 2011. Retrieved 17 June 2009.
7. "Circle Line, Downtown Line 1 and 2 Station Names Finalised". www.lta.gov.sg. 16 June 2009. Archived from the original on 25 April 2016.
8. "Annex 1: Final Station Names" (PDF). www.lta.gov.sg. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 March 2013.
9. "Award of Contract 919 – Stations and Tunnels at Botanic Gardens and Stevens | Press Room | Land Transport Authority". www.lta.gov.sg. 1 July 2009. Archived from the original on 25 April 2016.
10. "Thumbs Up For Downtown Line's Earlier Opening". The Straits Times. 3 October 2014. from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
11. "LTA | News Room | News Releases | Downtown Line 2 is Coming to Town….this December". www.lta.gov.sg. from the original on 4 September 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
12. Menon, Malavika (11 November 2019). "Air-conditioned underpass near 2 Bukit Timah schools opening at Stevens MRT station on Nov 23". The Straits Times. from the original on 9 September 2020. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
13. . CNA. 10 November 2017. Archived from the original on 14 December 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
14. "New air-conditioned underpass to open at Stevens MRT station on Nov 23". CNA. 11 November 2019. from the original on 9 September 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
15. Sim, Royston (29 August 2012). . The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 29 August 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
16. . Channel NewsAsia (CNA). 30 August 2012. Archived from the original on 30 August 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
17. "LTA Awards Four Contracts for Thomson Line". www.lta.gov.sg. 18 October 2013. from the original on 7 January 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
18. "Works starts for Mount Pleasant and Stevens MRT stations along Thomson-East Coast Line". Today. 25 January 2015. Archived from the original on 23 November 2021. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
19. . LTA. 19 August 2014. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
20. . LTA. 13 February 2020. Archived from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
21. "Written Reply by Minister for Transport Ong Ye Kung to Parliamentary Question on Updates on Thomson East Coast Line, Jurong Region Line and Cross Island Line". mot.gov.sg. from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
22. "11 more Thomson-East Coast stations to open in second half of 2022; more 'inclusive' changes for vulnerable commuters". CNA. 9 March 2022. from the original on 26 April 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
23. Yong, Clement (7 October 2022). "11 new TEL stations, from Stevens to Gardens by the Bay, to open on Nov 13; free rides on Nov 11". The Straits Times. from the original on 7 October 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
24. "Factsheet: Thomson – East Coast Line Stage 3 to Open for Passenger Service from 13 November 2022". LTA. from the original on 7 October 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
25. Yeoh, Grace (7 October 2022). "11 Thomson-East Coast Line stations to open on Nov 13; free rides available on Nov 11". CNA. from the original on 30 November 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
26. Lim, Jessie (13 November 2022). "Stations buzzing on first day of operations for third stage of Thomson-East Coast Line". The Straits Times. from the original on 13 November 2022. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
27. "System Map". TransitLink. from the original on 10 November 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
28. "LTA | Transport Tools | MRT/LRT". www.lta.gov.sg. from the original on 1 November 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
29. Kok, Yufeng (7 November 2022). "Opening of Thomson-East Coast Line Stage 3 to cut off-peak train intervals to 6 minutes". The Straits Times. from the original on 13 November 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
30. "Train Service Information". SBSTransit. from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
31. Feng 2017, p. 143.
32. . www.lta.gov.sg. 31 December 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
33. Feng 2017, p. 64.
34. . LTA. 25 June 2020. Archived from the original on 21 April 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
35. "Art-in-Transit". SBSTransit. 21 August 2020. from the original on 21 April 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
36. Zhuang & Soh 2022, p. 56.
37. Zhuang & Soh 2022, p. 59.
38. Reduwan, Amirah Liyana (27 November 2015). "Downtown Line 2: Art in Transit". The New Paper. from the original on 9 September 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
39. "Binding Historical & Natural Impressions" (PDF). www.lta.gov.sg. (PDF) from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
40. Yong, Clement (29 October 2022). "Charcoal drawings, quirky book titles: 7 art works in Thomson-East Coast Line stations you should not miss". The Straits Times. from the original on 10 November 2022. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
41. "Art in Transit". LTA. 9 November 2022. from the original on 13 November 2022. Retrieved 13 November 2022.

Bibliography

• Feng, Zengkun (2017). Downtown Line: Soaring to new heights. Singapore: Straits Times Press Pte Ltd. ISBN 978-981-4747-66-0. OCLC 1003852882.
• Zhuang, Justin; Soh, Darren (2022). Art in transit: Downtown Line Singapore. Singapore: Land Transport Authority. ISBN 978-981-18-3967-2. OCLC 1342054525.

External links

•   Media related to Stevens MRT Station at Wikimedia Commons