Wildlife Bridge, Bukit Timah Expressway, Singapore
SCLD were appointed as the Consultants for this project that consists of a fully forested bridge solely designed as an ecological corridor for the use of wildlife to cross the busy Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE).
Click here to visit the Eco-Link@BKE on Google Earth
This $17 million Wildlife Bridge is the first of its kind in Singapore and in South East Asia and will not only enable animals and other wildlife to cross the highway but will also allow the natural transfer of plant species between the two Nature Reserves.
The BKE previously separated the last remaining primary forest of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and the large secondary forest areas of the Central Catchment Nature Reserve and therefore the new wildlife bridge is vital to re-establish links between these fragmented habitats. The bridge will have a huge impact in helping to conserve biodiversity in Singapore.
SCLD's scope included the bridge façade, signage, and planting design, as well as the funnel fencing to direct wildlife to the bridge crossing and escape ramps and hatches for animals caught on the expressway. Whilst we designed the bridge features with an understanding of animal behavior to encourage the use of the bridge we also took steps to ensure that animals were led away from the road and given opportunities to escape from, and not become trapped on, the expressway in our designs for the escape ramps, escape flaps, and animal funnel fencing.
The Engineers (YWL Engineering) designed the structure to cater for the loading for a fully forested bridge with 2m depth of soil and a lifetime of 120 years.
Our planting design for the Eco-Link @BKE utilizes exclusively native species grouped into plant mixes that simulate different habitats. The plants will provide fauna with food, cover, and shelter while crossing and for some will even become a permanent home.
The funnel/wildlife fencing is designed to prevent all types of wildlife from pangolins and mouse-deer, to amphibians and reptiles, from becoming roadkill or causing accidents on the BKE. The funnel fencing also serves to lead the wildlife to the animal crossing and is to be completed at a later date under a separate contract.
SCLD carried out the original feasibility study for this unusual environmental project back in 2006 when we made the recommendations for the location of this 50 meter wide vegetated bridge as the most appropriate of several options explored for the wildlife crossing.
Please note that this is a bridge for wildlife and therefore not accessible to the public. Any access by human visitors will be detrimental to the objectives of the bridge and will prevent its use by wildlife so we would ask people to please refrain from visiting the bridge area unless you happen to be travelling on the BKE underneath it.
NParks information about the Eco-Link@BKE
