The second and final phase of an engineering study for the proposed MRT link between Singapore and Johor Baru will start by the end of this year. A spokesman for Malaysia's Land Public Transport Commission said it is expected to take six to 12 months to complete but gave no further details.
The Straits Times understands that decisions will have to be made based on the first phase of the study before the second phase can commence. That study, undertaken by global engineering group Aecom for US$42 million (S$52 million), looked into whether a bridge or tunnel should be used to cross the Strait of Johor. A tunnel is expected to cost three times as much.
Whichever option is chosen will be studied more thoroughly in the second phase.
The MRT line will link the Woodlands North station on Singapore's upcoming Thomson Line to a stop in Johor Baru, likely to be transport hub JB Sentral.
The link, first mooted in 2010, was originally meant to be completed by 2018, but this was revised to 2019 when Singapore decided in 2012 to lengthen the Thomson Line.
At a ground-breaking ceremony of the new line last Friday, Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew avoided pinning a date to the project, merely saying that it will be "eventually linked" to Johor Baru.
He added that details of the Woodlands North station have been finalised, and progress of the cross-border link is now largely dependent on Malaysia.
Meanwhile, property developers in Johor Baru are already advertising new projects that are said to be near or adjacent to the MRT station in JB.
This article was first published on July 03, 2014.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.