Fixing the Z-units
Until a year ago there was, just one of these a 60-in. diameter pipe carrying water from Gunong Pulai.
In 1963, however, following the acute water shortage of that year, the Singapore Government decided to press ahead quickly with a scheme to bring water from the Scudai River. This involved running a second pipeline across the causeway, a job which was carried out early in 1964.
The existence of these pipelines, both of which are situated along the western edge of the causeway beside the railway, was, before the present scheme, a source of public complaint in that they almost entirely obscured the view on that side.
The Water Department of the Singapore Public Utilities Board therefore agreed to the request of
Western edge of the causeway after completion
the Control Committee to pay for the raising of the causeway by about 2 ft. 6 in. to eliminate the grievance.
In view of the increasingly heavy road traffic using the causeway, it was also decided to take the oppor- tunity of widening the road from 25 ft. to 30 ft. at the same time. In addition, the road at the Johore end was widened further by filling in part of the old lock, destroyed during the war, to provide an extra traffic lane for lorries turning into the customs shed.
The new main roadway was laid on top of the old, the widening being carried out along the western edge. To provide a framework for the new road, a series of precast concrete "L" and "Z" units was laid the L-units on the eastern edge of the road adjacent to the railway and the Z- units on the west,
Crane Handling
The upper horizontal portions of the Z-units form a 5-ft.-wide pede- strian way cantilevered out above the main body of the causeway. This is the first time that a separate pede- strian footway has been provided.
а
Both types of unit were precast at casting yard set up near the customs station on the Singapore side. They were moved out on to the causeway, as required, by means of a small mobile crane.
The reinforced precast-concrete L- units each stood 3 ft. 8 in. high over- all by 2 ft. long and projected 3 ft. out into the roadway. Thickness at the base was 9 in. and 6 in. on the upright portion with a 6 in. splay between.
The Z-units were each 3 ft. 1 in. high overall and extended 9 ft. 9 in. from the outer edge of the 5 ft. pedestrian way to the edge of the 4 ft. 9 in. wide base. Most units were
Casting the Z and L-units on site
66
Batching and mixing plant
Far East Architect & Builder March, 1965