Introduction:

From the first bullock carts and sampans to the gleaming metro trains and buses of today, transit has been the constant partner in our nation’s story, from the bullcarts that helped our forefathers in the early days of colonial Singapore to the bustling trains that help us in our regular commute.

Yet, as we advance into a middle-aged nation, we risk losing the connection that we have with our past and with it, the sense of our belonging and identity. Part of that connection is our transit history, which is much more in-depth and rich than we normally assume. Despite efforts that have been made both on a state and community level to increase public knowledge and awareness of Singapore’s history, more can be done, especially as the pressure of development means more of our heritage, especially in niche topics such as transit, gets sacrificed.

Problem Statement:

Due to a lack of focus and energy towards preserving and telling our transit heritage, a key thread of the Singapore story is being left out, leaving the public less informed about their own history.

Opportunity Statement:

Kickstart Singapore’s transit heritage conversations into the mainstream consciousness through placemaking.

Proposal:

1. Heritage bus lane in the central and civic district
A heritage bus lane will be formed starting at Keppel Road (Tanjong Pagar railway station), going up Anson and Robinson roads and ending at the old civic district.

This route is chosen for several reasons: 
1. The historic nature of the civic and central district, which has been at the
forefront of not just Singapore's history but also the development of transit throughout the years
 2. centrality of the location, which would make it convenient for the target audience to visit and experience.

The lane will be divided into three sections that will tell the stories of our transit history concisely:
1. 20s-30s (Starting off at Tanjong Pagar Railway station at Keppel Road up till Anson Road)
2. 50s-70s (Robinson Road up portion of Parliament Place)
3. 80s-90s (The rest of the roads within the Civic district)

2. Re-imagined Bus Stops
Singapore bus stops in the past used to be of colour and in many different forms and varieties, before today’s more standardised grey design.

As a nexus of commuting and transit, my proposal re-envisions them as a medium of storytelling, infusing current bus stops with elements of transit of the past, such as the Orange bus
stops that used to dot the city in the 80s and 90s, to parts of the trolleybuses that used to ply our streets in the 20s, all while the dimensions and space adhere to the current bus shelter standards by LTA.

By combining the present with the past, visitors would be able to experience and feel the differences and understand the progress that has been made throughout the years. Several designated bus stops on the heritage lane would also come with heritage information markers that would allow visitors to view and read up on the history of our transit as part of their self-guided tour of the heritage bus lane. Interactivity, such as recreated heritage items for viewers to interact with and QR codes, would also be employed on the information markers to allow greater interactivity with visitors.