Zhi Hao, Author at Goody Feed

It's early 2019, and it seems that much like what Netizens are doing... Government agencies have been making a couple of new year resolutions as well. Take, for example, the recently discussed sugar tax. Wasn't the most well-received, but let's face it; who wants to pay even more for sugared drinks? But as it is, not all proposals turn out to be 'bad' in a sense. This particular one, for example, actually sounds good to the ears: Orchard Road may implement plans that put a stop to traffic permanently along a 500m stretch. Image: Imgflip Yeah, if all goes well you'll be able to walk in the middle of the road, and not get worried about getting banged, whether it's by car, human or whatnot. But it does beget the question: How will it exactly work? Rejuvenation According to The New Paper, a 500m stretch of Orchard Road may be closed off to traffic permanently, as part of plans to "rejuvenate the street and turn the Dhoby Ghaut area into a green oasis". And as 'ludicrous' as it sounds (because a road with no traffic whatsoever?), it was apparently among the ideas proposed by government agencies on Wednesday (30 Jan) to make Singapore's premier shopping belt "more than a retail destination". Thus far, the Land Transport Authority has expressed plans to explore the pedestrianisation of a section of Dhoby Ghaut, but would require further study in order to finalise the details. The proposed road closure in question would involve the stretch between Buyong and Handy roads, or the Istana and the junction before The Cathay. You know, here: Image: Google Maps Feedback Following such a revelation, you would expect third parties to chime in with their own opinions. But what one might not expect is that overall feedback tended to lean more towards the positive side, rather than the negative side. Observers and stakeholders, in general, agreed with the proposal though they did concede the possibility of traffic issues. They did, however, state that the payoff could be worth it, but it's really up to property owners and mall developers to make it work. Nanyang Technological University senior research fellow Gopinath Menon said that traffic would be affected, but its consequences would still be manageable as the section catered to pedestrianisation does not influence access to buildings in the area such as Plaza Singapura. Mr Bernie Tay, co-owner of burger chain Fatboy's The Burger Bar (which has a street-facing outlet at MacDonald House), agreed with the notion, but he interjected the need for clickbait-worthy content. "As a retailer in the area, I think it's a fantastic idea. "There are already existing green spaces though, and no one goes there. Unless they create a lot of amenities and attractions for people to go to, it will be one big empty park." More plans Lest you're wondering, the 500m 'no-traffic' policy isn't the only plan that might be turned into a reality. Different offerings will be made available among the Tanglin, Somerset, Orchard and Dhoby Ghaut areas, and this year's Great Singapore Sale (GSS) will be "revamped", in the process promoting local designers and talents. This, however, could be a tough possibility considering how malls would have to compromise on rental income to support young entrepreneurs, a notion that's complicated by the fact that most malls on the shopping belt are under real estate investment trusts, which are geared towards the maximisation of profits. So yeah, whether they can afford to put aside all those 'gains' in favour of the long run... We really gotta wait and see. And so... now what? Considering how the plans are just proposals at the moment, it remains to be seen whether they will actually become 'reality'. But should it really become so... Well, let's just say that sleeping on the roads might not be as distant a possibility as you once thought. Image: Flickr

Zhi Hao

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