Arcadia Road — Preserve Hillcrest Arcadia

Just a short drive away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre lies Arcadia Road, a scenic avenue lined with mature Rain trees. Enjoy a calming drive as you navigate through Arcadia Road’s green tunnel. Slow down and take in the old civil service residences of Adam Park Estate, a lasting legacy of Singapore’s colonial past that’s nestled amidst the lush forests of the nearby MacRitchie Reservoir.

Before the Pan Island Expressway was constructed, Arcadia Road was a gentle curving track between the neighbouring hills, connecting road users to the numerous country pathways behind the Eng Neo private estate, in the direction of the former Turf Club. Today, Arcadia Road offers both residents and visitors a quiet and peaceful drive under the shady canopy of the majestic Rain trees.

The Heritage Road Scheme

In our city state, mature trees along the roads form the backbone of Singapore’s landscape. With rapid development, it is important that we recognise the importance of these mature trees and what they symbolise.

One way to do this is to conserve some of the more scenic and significant tree-lined roads in Singapore. In many locations, the green ambience and mature trees flanking the roads today are a result of more than 40 years of dedicated care and growth.

The Heritage Road Scheme, launched in 2001 by the National Parks Board, aims to conserve the scenic and significant tree-lined roads of Singapore. In 2006, the following five roads were gazetted as Heritage Roads:

            1. Arcadia Road
            2. Mount Pleasant Road
            3. Mandai Road
            4. South Buona Vista Road
            5. Lim Chu Kang Road

To preserve the unique tree-scapes, a green buffer of 10 metres on both sides of the Heritage Road is enforced and the removal of trees or plants is prohibited.

The preservation of Heritage Roads adds an element of permanence to the landscape and ultimately contributes to Singapore's sense of identity, history and continuity.

https://www.nparks.gov.sg/gardens-parks-and-nature/heritage-roads