The ultimate guide to knowing about the Sixth Avenue MRT

The Sixth Avenue MRT Station is an underground MRT station in Singapore on the Downtown Line Stage 2 (previously the Bukit Timah Line). The station will serve the Bukit Timah corridor and locate at the junction of Bukit Timah Road and Sixth Avenue, close to Turf City and other economic sectors. The media dubbed the Sixth Avenue MRT station, and the station gets dubbed “the first to be placed in a private home neighbourhood” by the media.

History:

For S$320.7 million, Contract 917 for the Design and Construction of Sixth Avenue and King Albert Park stations and tunnels get awarded. In mid-2013, the station’s contractor, Alpine Bau, fell insolvent. The Sixth Avenue MRT station was then turned over to McConnell Dowell under Contract 917A to finish. On June 28, 2015, Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew declared that the authorities had “fully addressed” the delay and that the opening date for Stage 2 had been pushed back to December 27, 2015.

Platform:

• Platform A: Downtown Line through DT6 King Albert Park to DT1–BP6 Bukit Panjang 
• Platform B: Downtown Line through DT8 Tan Kah Kee to DT35CG1 Expo

Sixth Avenue station has two platforms in an island platform configuration, with trains running in both directions using both platforms. The air-conditioned station is isolated from the tunnel environment by full-height Platform screen doors, which improve commuter safety and station comfort. The platform level ceiling is two levels high due to the concourse level looping around it, giving it air. The concourse gets reached through escalators, stairs, and elevators. Expected train arrival times and dominant messages get shown on Passenger Information Systems, which are plasma display panels positioned at each platform.

Concourse:

The concourse has faregates for automatic fee collection and access between the station’s paid and unpaid sectors, with at least one bidirectional wide-swinging gate for passengers in wheelchairs, those carrying heavy objects, or those traveling with prams. Commuters can buy tickets for single or many travels from General Ticketing Machines like Top-up Machines, which accept contactless card transactions. During working hours, passengers can make travel queries at a station office. The concourse gets connected to the street level and the overhead bridge through lifts and escalators. 

Shelter for Civil Defense:

Sixth Avenue station is one of six Civil Defense (CD) shelters along the Downtown Line 2 that will activate in the event of a national disaster. The stations are constructed and supplied with facilities to guarantee that the shelter environment is comfortable for all shelters during their stay. Protective blast doors, decontamination facilities, ventilation systems, power and water supply systems, and a dry toilet system are among the features available.

Station Amenities:

• Public Toilets at the concourse
• Retail Shop on the concourse
• ATM
• Bicycle Racks at the station exit

Exits:

• A: Guthrie House, Second Avenue Junction, Hwa Chong Institution, Sixth Avenue Centre, Hwa Chong International School, Goh Chok Tong’s house
• B: Eton House Pre-School, The Grandstand, Nanyang Girls’ High School