A new bridge for wildlife and pedestrians, designed to be completed by 2026, will be built across Upper Bukit Timah Road, the National Parks Board NParks said on May 27.
Animals have been observed crossing the road, leading to collisions with vehicles, NParks said.
These measures will help facilitate safer movement of our native species between green spaces, enable them to thrive by expanding their habitat and genetic pool, and increase their long-term resilience, the board said.
The new bridge will provide pedestrians with seamless connectivity between the two green spaces, with measures enhancing the safety of road users near forested areas.
The announcement, announced at the Festival of Biodiversity held at community hub Heartbeat Bedok, marked the 10th anniversary of Eco-Link BKE - the first of its kind in Southeast Asia.
The hourglass ecological bridge, 62 m long, 50 m wide, spans across the Bukit Timah Expressway, linking the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve with the Central Catchment Nature Reserve.
About 100 species of fauna have been recorded on eco-Link BKE as of 2021. Thirty-one additional species of fauna were found on the bridge for the first time between 2018 and 2021.
The discovery of more species using the bridge reflects the effectiveness of the Eco-Link BKE and provides insights for NParks' ongoing efforts to strengthen ecological connectivity between our green spaces, NParks said.