'A quiet spot to hang out': Car enthusiasts mourn closure of '40 tiang' Lim Chu Kang Road

Revving their engines under the bright lamp post lights in the stillness of the night, hundreds of car enthusiasts descended at usually quiet Lim Chu Kang Road on Saturday (June 7), just hours before the road was decommissioned and closed past midnight.

Known to the car community as 40 tiang (Malay for lamp post), the graveyard-lined road was home to illegal drag races throughout the 1990s.

Those days may be long gone, but for many, the road's closure marks the end of an era.

Dyrendall Low, 22, called it a farewell to an iconic night-time gathering spot where car lovers like him could come together and "show off their rides".

"It was an unforgettable experience — the atmosphere was electric, the kind of vibe you only get at underground meets," said Low, who works in the air-conditioning business.

Thanks to its remote location, Lim Chu Kang Road offered enthusiasts a space to gather without disturbing nearby residents.

"There was a mix of cars, from loud street machines to exotic supercars. The smell of exhaust in the air and the excitement on everyone's faces made it clear that this was a place that meant a lot to people," he added.

"It was bittersweet, but at the same time, everyone was just enjoying the moment. Appreciating that they were part of something bigger than just their cars."

Daryl Lee, who was at Lim Chu Kang Road with his wife, described the gathering as sombre — one that drew not only car enthusiasts, but also motorcyclists and cyclists.

Like many others, the 36-year-old senior account manager at an advertising agency took a photo with his car to mark the occasion.

Lee refused to delve into Lim Chu Kang Road and its notorious "40 tiang" drag racing past, but said that the area was just as iconic for the "right reasons". 

"For me it's the calmness and stillness in a rural and quiet part of Singapore," he said about the place where he had spent many nights since his twenties.

"It's not just for car enthusiasts, but also my friends and I have deep conversations, or simply enjoy the silence together."

In a statement on May 26, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced that a realigned Lim Chu Kang Road would open on June 8, with the old stretch decommissioned at the same time.

Spanning about eight kilometres, it comprises a dual three-lane carriageway from Jalan Bahar to the new junction with Old Choa Chu Kang Road, before narrowing into a dual two-lane carriageway.

The road will be extended to form a new signalised T-junction with Jalan Bahar to facilitate the expansion of Tengah Air Base.

LTA added that the old Lim Chu Kang Road was decommissioned to facilitate the remaining road works that are slated for completion in the third quarter of 2025.

These include reconfiguring the junction between Jalan Bahar and Old Choa Chu Kang Road into a signalised T-junction with the old Lim Chu Kang Road and removing parts of the closed sections of Jalan Bahar and Lim Chu Kang Road.

The realigned road also has new footpath along both sides of the road to enhance pedestrian connectivity, said LTA.

Photographer Adrian Wong, 37, a car enthusiast since the early 2000s, said the tranquility of Lim Chu Kang is "hard to come by" in Singapore.

"It's a nice long stretch of road which makes it convenient to do rolling shots of cars," he added.

For car enthusiast Shaun Choo, driving along the old Lim Chu Kang Road en route to Sungei Gedong Camp for reservist was a personal highlight.

What he will miss most is the "pureness" of the drive, coasting along an open stretch with no traffic lights every few metres, and "sterile" expressway walls. 

"Now that it's gone, there's a strange emptiness. It feels like a page of local car culture has been torn out," said the 30-year-old events producer. "I get it, we have to make way for progress and development but it is a sad feeling.

"As they say, one door closes, another opens up." 

Editor's note: This story has been edited for clarity.

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chingshijie@asiaone.com