The Island Republic of Lionhart

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16th Post – Sharkoman Park​

The Sharkoman Park offers an unique up-close plane watching experience

A respected visitor to Lionhart suggested several airport improvement ideas to the Port of Lionhart Authority. However, as typical, the Port Authority welcomed the ideas and suggestions but did not comment on them. Most people have thought all submitted ideas and suggestions to the Port Authority were stuffed into an overfilled inbox somewhere in the office, or in an email folder with an ever-increasing count of unread emails – never read and considered seriously.

However, a class of third-graders at the Lighthouse Point Elementary School discovered an internal Port Authority document with a discussion about a little park to watch the planes, as suggested by Sharkoman. The Authority’s discussion wasn’t receptive to the idea but the third-graders were thrilled. Several of them, with their parents, enjoyed climbing to the Lighthouse Point Light to watch planes coming in to land but, from there, it is hard to recognize any details on the planes.

With help from their teachers and parents, the third-graders put together a report that found the best location for Sharkoman Park. Then they wrote a letter advocating for the park, with the report attached, to their representing Members of Parliament. The local newspaper caught wind of it and wrote a local piece on it, which soon attracted the attention of all plane watchers across Lionhart, who lent their support to the third-graders.

Long story short, the Port Authority fast-tracked the construction of Sharkoman Park on the southern end of Runway 5L-23R, which was opened with a fanfare. If you are into plane watching, Sharkoman Park is the closest you can get next to an airborne plane in Lionhart. It is also a nice place to spend an outdoor afternoon or burn time waiting to pick up a friend on a delayed flight.

The location of the park is a little remote but that doesn't stop plane-watching enthusiasts.

Third-graders: Thank you for the park idea, Sharkoman!

The Port Authority also built a parking lot for plane watchers at the northern end of Runway 5R-23L.

 

[idlerTHE]

17th Post – Treasure Island South Coast, Part I​

Good morning at the Port of Lionhart! After hailing the harbor control, the Sultan V is about to dock and unload its cargo.

Port of Lionhart

The old cargo seaport southeast of Lionhart City was running out of room for the expanding trade in Lionahrt. Meanwhile, the greatly anticipated City Island Project also increased the land value around the seaport, making the land it sits on more attractive for other developments.

Following the decision to move the Lionhart International Airport to a new man-made island outside the Delta, government officials explored also moving the seaport. Their study strongly recommended moving the seaport to the South Coast of Treasure Island for several reasons: 1) the wide and deep bay would make an ideal cargo seaport; 2) the seaport construction could provide the large quantity of fill materials needed by the new airport island; and 3) beyond the Town of Jurong, there were no inhabitants on Treasure Island who would be impacted by the construction and the seaport.

With the public tired from the relentless and over-reported debate about the airport relocation, there was little interest in a repeat. As a result, the seaport relocation went through the approval process smoothly despite requiring a massive coastline transformation that will bring a far greater degradation of the natural environment. Moreover, the government incorporated the seaport project into the airport project and rebranded them together as the port of Lionhart.

The South Coast Bay was extensively dredged to provide fill materials for the airport island and create a consistent depth for the new harbor. Temporarily turned into a giant construction site of dirt and rocks, the coastline was smoothed out and reinforced with seawalls and a lengthy stretch was reserved for port facilities. A small island southwest of the airport island was expanded much in size to house ancillary facilities for the port – fuel storages, a ferry depot, and docking for Coastguard vessels. In addition, Port Island also houses multiple drydocks, including two of the largest in the region that can service a full-size cargo freighter.

Two cargo terminals were built despite room for more terminals. Due to the miscalculation of the Lionhartian plan, the Jolorean government developed a new seaport just west of the border at about the same time. Being domestic to many exporters while having lower labor costs and, more importantly, rail access, the Port of Jolore offers a better value proposition to most shippers. As a result, the anticipated cargo demand to the Port of Lionhart did not fully materialize.

Along the inner harbor and on the Port Island were many properties for port-oriented industries, ranging from logistic warehouses to ship components and parts workshops supporting the drydocks. Beyond the Port, a residential neighborhood called East Ridge was built to accommodate construction workers and, later, seaport workers. Although surrounded by highways on three sides and not directly connected to the MRT transit network, East Ridge is quite popular to working families.

The western end of the Port was not developed into cargo terminals as originally planned. As the South Coast further developed, the Cross-Island Highway terminated just west of the two cargo terminals. Further west lies the Western High School, which serves the western half of South Coast, tram depot, and the South Coast Wastewater Plant.

Far view of the South Coast, from left: Lighthouse Point, cargo terminals, Treasure Cove, East Ridge, FlyCity (background), Port Island (foreground)

Busy traffic around the Port Avenue Roundabout and the Port Avenue MRT Subway-Tram Interchange Station.

The bustling cargo terminals

The Port Avenue Bridge over the Treasure Cove Inlet

View from the eastern end of Port Avenue. To the left is the Coastguard docking facility at the inner harbor. To the right is the East Ridge neighborhood.

Looking toward the Port from East Rridge

Port Island as view from the Port of Lionhart Highway Interchange

Looking over the drydocks on Port Island

Another view of Port Island in the afternoon

Another view of the cargo terminals in the afternoon

The drydocks in early evening

Lighthouse Point

A peninsular with a rocky outcrop on the west end of the seaport presents a navigation hazard, especially so for any ships caught by the strong current flowing around the mouth of the West River. The weathered shipwreck beneath the outcrop is a stark reminder of the danger. As a result, a lighthouse was built on top of the outcrop to warn off wayward ships.

Being an important safety element, the lighthouse was planned for renovation after the new seaport was built. However, the advancement of GPS-based navigation soon made the lighthouse obsolete for commercial shipping and, as a result, the renovation never happened.

At the same time, increasing employment opportunities at the Port of Lionhart demanded more housing along the South Coast. In response, the Department of Urban and Economic Development put the land beyond the rocky outcrop to a development bid. A local developer won the bid and built a high-density residential district taking the name Lighthouse Point. A plaza with an iconic sculpture formed the focal point of the district, which is also where the tram stop is located. For those not offended by the industrial waterfront view and occasional diesel fumes and wastewater plant odor, Lighthouse Point offers oceanfront living for a very affordable price.

With the recent completion of the Castle Hill MRT Line (Dark Red) to the Port Avenue Interchange, residents of Lighthouse Point no longer have to take the tram the entire way to FlyCity Plaza for a transfer to the MRT Subway, significantly reducing the travel time to the rest of Lionhart.

Lighthouse Point

From another angle

The Lighthouse Point Plaza and its iconic sculpture -- the focal point of the residential district. The Port of Jolores is visible in the background.

Lighthouse Point 2nd Phrase was developed later across the Cross-Island Highway

Although no longer used for its intended function, the lighthouse remained a popular vista point for residents and tourists.

Strait Coast Border Crossing

When the government learned that its Jolorean counterpart was planning to build a new seaport just next door to the Port of Lionhart, certain Members of the Parliament advocated for raising a tariff on goods offloaded in Jolores in order to reduce the foreign port’s competitiveness. However, the majority of Parliament Members would rather not risk friendly relations with Jolores and opted for a cooperative approach. Their Jolorean counterparts welcomed the friendly gesture and agreed to negotiate a mutually beneficial arrangement.

The negotiation resulted in an unprecedented level of cooperation between the two countries. The key provision lies in a bilaterally agreed port fee and tariff schedule that ensures neither party would gain or lose disproportionally, as well as discourage harmful competition. Other notable provisions include a cooperation and mutual assistance agreement between the two seaports and a Lionhartian concession to rely on the Newmont Refinery and its tanker port facility in Jolores for petroleum imports.

To implement the cooperation and mutual assistance agreement, both parties funded a new border crossing on a manmade island between the two seaports that can accommodate and quickly process numerous freight trucks making port connections. A shipment transferring from pier to pier would typically take only half an hour. Moreover, the border crossing connects Lionhart to the westward Strait Coast Highway, which runs through the Jolores State and others beyond.

The purpose-built Strait Coast Border Crossing and the road connections to the Port of Jolores off to the left.

South Coast and the two seaports in late afternoon. The Port of Jolores is on the left.

 

[idlerTHE]

18th Post – Treasure Island South Coast, Part II​

The mouth or inlet to Treasure Cove runs past the busy Port Avenue

Treasure Cove Uncovered

When removing the dense vegetation and leveling the South Coast coastline, construction crews working on the port project were startled by a magnificent view of the waterfall cascading down the cliff wall into a lush cove. While the cove was not a secret, few people in the government and even fewer among the public were aware of the cove’s existence. When pictures of the cove appeared in the media, alongside reports of the remanent of a former settlement sighted on a narrow beach inside the cove, government officials wasted no time in securing the cove to make sure it was not further disturbed.

Unfortunately, the construction work had left the mouth of the cove wide open to the coast. Archeologists also discovered the settlement remanent appeared to have been thoroughly rummaged a long while ago. Moreover, sediments from erosion upstream of the waterfall had been gradually filling in the Cove. The government cordoned off the cove but let the port construction resume.

While historians tried to find out what had happened to the Cove in the past, the Parliament held a listening session on what to do with the Cove. Environmentalists abhorred by what the port development had done to the South Coast advocated to leave the cove alone, but ecologists cautioned the Cove would be blocked up by sediment within the decade if there is no intervention. The Tourism Board saw a potential tourist attraction unique and distinctive to Treasure Island, corroborated by the historians’ preliminary finding that the settlement was once a secretive pirate haven. Politicians and officials from Jurong City begged to differ on highlighting such a disgraceful part of the island’s history.

Old photos of the Cove's rediscovery during the Port Project construction

The Treasure Fleet

Once upon a time, the Chinese Emperor sent a Treasure Fleet to establish trade and diplomatic relations with faraway lands beyond the South Sea. Led by a talented and adventurous admiral, the fleet achieved great success in their first voyage, accomplishing the Emperor’s mission and making a fortune by bringing back countless formerly unknown goods and exotic treasures from afar. The vast success prompted the Emperor to send out the fleet again on more expeditions.

During one of the following expeditions, the Treasure Fleet encountered a great storm off the narrow strait that it had passed through multiple times in previous expeditions. Before the fleet was scattered by the storm, the Admiral gave the order to seek shelter where possible until the storm passed. While the leading ships, including the flagship, were able to enter the strait and escape the storm, ships in the rear were not as fortunate.

Realizing that they would not make the strait in time, the trailing ships desperately reached for the closest peninsular in sight. Several ships capsized and many more were wrecked on the rocky coast. However, a small group of ships unexpectedly slipped into a hidden cove that was protected from the storm by tall cliffs.

They found a narrow strip of open land at the bottom of the cliff. Coming ashore, the group encountered the remnants of a small settlement but no trace of its inhabitants. The ranking officer speculated that it was once used by a group of pirates that were defeated in the First Voyage.

After the storm, the group sailed out and found survivors and other fortunate ships that had survived the storm along the coast. After spending a week regrouping and salvaging the wrecked ships, they sailed on and rendezvoused with the Admiral on the pre-planned route.

After several expeditions, the growing riches and power of the newfound merchants attracted the ire of other fractions in the Imperial Court, which began to complain to the Emperor. The complaints were ineffective at first but, eventually, the Emperor died and a new emperor halted the expeditions. Most participants of the expeditions complied with the imperial order but few, including members of the group that survived at the hidden cove, fled to the high seas and nobody ever saw them again.

A replica of the Imperial Chinese Treasure Ship at the Treasure Cove Museum

Treasure Cove

At the ten-year anniversary of Jolore Colony’s establishment, the Governor declared the Colony secured and open for business. To consolidate his holdings, the Governor conducted a colony-wide survey, covering the entire coastline, including Treasure Island. A surveyor escorted by a light guard was sent to survey Treasure Island. While they passed by verdant fields, untouched forests, and pristine streams, they also came across remnants of villages allegedly burned by pirates in years past but no other humans.

Eventually, they came to the top of a tall waterfall and could go no further but they saw a cove beneath the waterfall, surrounded by tall cliffs on all sides. The cove’s opening to the ocean was densely vegetated so that, if not for the waterfall, the survey group would not have discovered the cove.

However, the group could not find a way down to the cove after several days of exploring. At last, they gave up and continued on with the surveying. It was not until they were back at Jolore City and gave a report to the Governor that another group was sent out with boats. The amphibious group took another two weeks to locate the opening to the cove and finally entered it.

While they did not find any pirates, they discovered certain signs of past pirate activities in the cove. Burnt remnants of docks, warehouses, huts, and workshops, as well as the hulks of several ruined boats. Although a surface search revealed no notable treasure in and around the cove, the group named it Treasure Cove. Their report was welcomed by the Governor as it verified the pirates’ demise. However, with more pressing and profitable ventures elsewhere across the colony, Treasure Cove was relegated to a footnote of the colony’s records.

Treasure Cove as seen from the top of the waterfall today

Treasure Hunt

When Jolore gained its independence, its new government inherited the colonial records and was made aware of the existence of Treasure Cove. As events transpired that Lionhart secured its separate independence apart from Jolore, the Jolorean government hastily put together a treasure-hunting party to ensure no valuable treasure would be lost to the rebels.

The party went across the river from Jolore City and then trekked south carrying their boats. After reaching the South Coast, they reached Treasure Cove within the week. It took the party several weeks to scour the remnants in the cove and, unfortunately, wreck them in the process. The Joloreans found no treasure trove but a small number of artifacts, including tools, weapons, and coins scattered around the remnants.

Disappointed at the less-than-expected find, the party returned to Jolore City via a different route and came upon a small Chinese Lionhartian settlement called Jurong, which appeared to be recently built. They were warmly received by the residents – a solace to the otherwise disappointing expedition. When the treasure-hunting party gave a report to their government officials, they were so focused on the disappointment but also relief that no treasure was conceded to Lionhart that the discovery of a recent Lionhart settlement on the previously unpopulated island didn’t alarm them.

With assistance from the Jolores Government, the historians found these really old photos taken from the "Treasure Hunt".

Treasure Cove Remodeled

Members of the Parliament were intrigued by the historians’ discovery of Treasure Cove’s history and favored celebrating it instead of hiding it once more, so the environmentalists’ approach was discarded and the Tourist Board’s suggestion was admitted. However, environmental concerns were not fully disregarded – the Members also acknowledged the need to protect the cove’s natural beauty, as well as the human intervention the cove needed as suggested by the ecologists.

Consequently, the Parliament directed relevant government agencies to devise a balanced approach to develop the cove’s beach into a tourist attraction while conserving the natural beauty of the rest of the cove.

Originally, the plan was to rely only on the ferry to access the tourist site but at the urging of the Tourist Board, the site was expanded to include short-term rental accommodations and workers’ housing, which in turn demanded a land route to supply the entire community. The most obvious route is to build a causeway from the mouth of the cove to the beach but it was considered too intrusive to the views.

The Tourist Board and other pro-development agencies favored blasting a road out of the cliff above the beach, which will descend gracefully from the rim of the cliff to the site. After much pushback from the environment-oriented agencies, they reached a compromise in minimizing alteration to the cliff face by bridging one section of the road and tunneling another section at the rim.

The expanded site coincides with the effort to dredge out the accumulated sediments, which require disposal – a convenient material for shoring up the beach for more real estate. Ultimately, a landscaped seawall was added to protect the site from erosion and storm surge.

After much deliberation among historians, politicians, the Tourism Board, and industry experts such as the Shipping-turned-Entertainment Business Magnate, it was decided that the site would highlight the fable tale of old and house a full-size replica of an Imperial Chinese Treasure Ship, although the museum exhibits and monuments across the site would also cover other parts of the cove’s history.

As the site develops, the environmentalists and ecologists reached out with a proposal to build a low-impact gallery walkway – wooden planks that were secured in holes carved into the sides of the cliff, descending across the other side of the cove, which will pass behind the waterfall and highlight the nature aspects of the cove. The proposal was warmly received and incorporated into the development plans.

Beyond the tourist site and the walkway, the rest of the cove is protected from development, including the islet in the center of the cove, which is overgrown with mangrove trees.

Although not the most popular tourist attractions in Lionhart due to its location, Treasure Cove’s exotic mix of offerings draw in a unique group of visitors willing to go out of their way during their stay in Lionhart.

Water taxi carrying visitors to Treasure Cove

Far view of the Cove today

The gallery walkway going past the waterfall - you will definitely get soaked

Treasure Cove at night

 

[idlerTHE]

19th Post – Treasure Island South Coast, Part III​

Several unique communities had sprung up around Treasure Cove

Villa d’Abricot

To offset the cost of the Treasure Cove development and conservation effort, a piece of land above the cove was auctioned off for residential development, which was won by a Chinese developer known for its luxurious suburban developments. With this being one of the developer’s first overseas projects, the developer took a cautious approach and partnered with Lionhartian architecture and marketing firms in designing the new community.

The land lies on a gently rolling hill facing the South Coast Bay and surrounded by forest. The team gave the development a French translation of a classic Chinese place name associated with the apricot plant and settled on a suburban layout that resembled a figure eight tucked into the hillside. Both apricot and the figure eight implicate good fortune in Chinese culture.

The streets were lined with apricot trees transplanted from China, which have iconic white and violet flowers when in full bloom. The different styles of pseudo-mansions were designed to appeal to upper middle-class homebuyers. The community also was also designed with an elementary school, a medical clinic, and a cemetery.

Speaking of the cemetery, it is the only cemetery in all of South Coast because government plans dictate that at least one must be built when a region reaches a certain population threshold, and this development happened to hit the threshold.

The developer was surprised and objected to putting a cemetery within the development, which would be a very bad sign that counteracts the entire design concept. The project nearly fell apart until the Lionhartian members persuaded the Chinese developer that the cemetery could be incorporated with a superb feng shui and landscape design.

The development was a great success – every unit, even the ones directly across the cemetery, was sold out, together with a long waitlist of buyers local and foreign, before the first unit was finished. The pseudo-mansions are still highly sought-after today.

Brøndby Gardens

At long last, the undeveloped parcel of land above Villa d’Abricot was made available for another residential development. However, the residents of Villa d’Abricot strongly objected to it and banded together to stop the development, as they failed to do so against the Lighthouse Point’s Second Phrase beneath the hill. They hired lawyers and purchased front-page ads to voice their objections.

The Owner of the Parable Group learned about the standoff and offered to intervene with an arrangement for a non-profit development. Fond of the impressive garden city development at Letchworth, he enlisted help from the Lionhartian nonprofit planning group to propose a residential development that would be similarly extraordinary while suitable for the site.

This time, the nonprofit planners borrowed the garden circle concept from Brøndby Haveby – a garden city community in Brøndby, Denmark. Its unique circular development pattern was intended to facilitate hyggelige – a Danish sense of community. However, while the Danish garden city was intended for seasonal vacation homes – with a restriction that no residents or guests can stay more than six months each year, the replica in Lionhart would be designed for primary homes.

The non-profit planners sought to improve the Brøndby concept by adding sustainability as a design focus. The uniquely laid-out homes would feature energy-efficient and waste-recycling features, and be connected to a district heating and cooling plant. The development would also have a community school and a community garden with plots that could be reserved by its residents.

Although Brøndby Gardens is far from any MRT transit connections, the highly hikeable and bikeable Cross-Island Rail Trail runs through it and the Treasure Cove Bus Line has a stop on the main road beneath the hill.

Social equity is also a design consideration as planners feared the new community would be bought out by the affluent and foreign investors as vacation homes and investment vehicles. Thus, they proposed a somewhat sophisticated co-op ownership model that would limit home sales proceeds and provide a quota of subsidized homes for low-income buyers.

The planners aptly named the new community Brøndby Gardens.

The residents of Villa d’Abricot were receptive to this unusual proposal, particularly for its low-density development with small house lots. The proposal also called for special attention to protect the existing vegetation buffer around Villa d’Abricot.

The small home sizes and limitation on home sales proceeds deterred the more affluent homebuyers and investors as intended by the planners, allowing those who would be outpriced otherwise to have a chance of owning a single-family house with a nice yard. Nevertheless, the new homes were by no means cheap. And instead of first-in-the-line, buyers were chosen by a lottery.

The number of interested buyers exceeded the number of housing units manifold and the lucky ones were selected via a broadcasted lottery event. Residents of Brøndby Gardens give great praise to their community and are fiercely committed to making it better. This is reflected by the visually striking community garden plots, which are publicly accessible through the Cross-Island Rail Trail.

Saint Claire

The Forbearing Sisters are known for their steadfast kindness and patience in challenging situations and trying times throughout the history of their religious order. The story of their arrival in Southeast Asia has been lost to history but it is believed that happened sometime between the establishment of diplomatic relations between the local and European realms, and the later European conquest and colonization.

Nevertheless, as the Jolore Colony was Protestant, Catholic orders were not actively present until after the colony's interdependence. Besides what happened in Jolore and Lionhart, the decolonization period was a turbulent time throughout Southeast Asia, with much cultural, social, and religious strife. Many minorities including religious ones were treated with distrust and violence. After enduring a period of increasingly brutal persecution, the Forbearing Sisters were expelled from various countries where they were no longer welcomed.

Caught in limbo, most of the Sisters hoped to continue their mission in Southeast Asia and were reluctant to return to Europe. With diplomatic intercession from the Vatican, the Sisters got in touch with the newly independent and secular Island Republic of Lionhart. The Lionhartian government was sympathetic to their plight but, more importantly, urgently seeking international recognition and means to provide social services much needed by its population. Goodwill notwithstanding, welcoming the Forbearing Sisters could achieve both needs. The Lionhartian government reached an agreement with the Vatican that, in arranging the nuns’ relocation to Lionhart and building a convent for them, the Vatican would lend its support in furthering Lionhart’s foreign diplomacy.

Even before the convent was completed, the Sisters quickly resumed their ministry to care for the locals, to which they were warmly welcomed. The convent was built on a plot of land now called Saint Claire, southeast of Jurong City and adjacent to the Town of Crown Terrace. Aside from being the administrative center for the Sisters’ ministry in Southeast Asia, the convent doubles as a spiritual retreat surrounded by woods and a lake. After taking stewardship of the convent, the Sisters also built a cemetery and planted an olive tree orchard.

Few people who arranged the agreement could imagine the rapid development of Lionhart, including the building spree across Treasure Island. The urban boundary of Jurong expanded year after year toward Saint Clare until Crown Terrace was suddenly founded next door. The founders of the new town tried to be respectful but also promoted the town's expansion. The town kept expanding until development happened right up to the border with Saint Clare. Developers and local officials petitioned for land annexation into Saint Claire but were blocked at the Parliament with vehement opposition from the Sisters, who took great stride in their stewardship of Saint Claire and refused to allow anyone to make a profit off any parts of the land.

Many years later, with a government grant for an international space exploration initiative, the University of Lionahrt was seeking to expand its astronomy department and build a series of space-exploring radio telescopes. However, suitable locations were scarce across Lionhart – either they were already developed or were slated for development, except for a hilltop in Saint Clare, so they contacted the Sisters via the government.

The Forbearing Sisters were not receptive in the beginning. However, after much deliberation and a consultation with their higher-ups at the Vatican, they concluded that the educational and scientific purposes of the proposal align with their mission and, moreover, the telescopes would preclude residential development on the attractive site. In exchange, besides an annual lease payment to the Sisters for the land, the government formally prohibited any for-profit development in Saint Clare.

 

[idlerTHE]

20th Post – Cross-Island Rail Trail​

I hate to leave this city journal unfinished so I’m returning to finish it after a six-month break, starting with this post about the Cross-Island Rail Trail. I will ease off on lore-writing as it had been the most time-consuming part of cranking out posts. With the map's background and region already established in previous posts, I hope this won’t make future posts any less exciting to read.

Railroad

The only railroad built in Lionhart facilitated trade between the Jurong City Millyard, specifically wood products for Jolore’s sand, gravel, and agricultural products. There was a plan to expand the railroad to the Treasure Island South Coast but the plan was scuttled due to the demise of the Millyard due to strong competition overseas, and Jolore’s feat in completing a railroad to its seaport on the coast.

The abandoned switchyard behind the Millyard.

Rail Trail

The majority of the railroad tracks were dismantled but certain sections remained. In one of its city-planning hackathons, the Lionhartian non-profit planning group brought the rail trail idea to local attention. The rail trail idea was popular in the United States where communities redeveloped abandoned railroad rights-of-way into a walking/biking path to revitalize adjacent industrial and rural neighborhoods.

Enticed by the idea and relatively affordable cost – being a fraction of the cost of constructing the Cross-Island Highway – the Lionhart Tourism Board secured funding with the support of a sizable group of Parliament Members.

An early MRT subway takes us to Camp Gordon, where the northern end of the rail trail begins.

Dedicated bikes lane make an easy ride from the MRT station to the trailhead.

A right turn after three city blocks takes us to the beginning of the trail.

After crossing over the Cross-Island Highway, the trail turns south and runs along a remnant section of the old railroad.

Passing by the former Jurong City Millyard, we arrive just in time to see the first hot air balloon lifting off.

Then we cross under the northern end of the Jurong City Highway.

Passing by several joggers as we enter Crown Terrace.

Crossing a local street.

Continuing on through Crown Terrace.

We arrive at the end of the rail road remnant but the trail continues on through Crown Terrance Wood, the town's main park. We are making good time.

The view from the park entrance.

Biking through the park.

We will take a short rest here at the park's gazebo and use the public restroom just off the trail. There are more people on the trail in the late morning.

The strategically placed public restroom is a great amenity to the rail trail. The Crown Terrace Townhall is visible behind the restroom.

Resuming our ride, we come upon the overpass across the Castle Hill Bypass.

The trail goes downhill southwards after the Castle Hill Bypass, making an easy rider for the rest of the way. Since it is much harder to ride the other way, it is recommended that beginner and leisure riders ride from Camp Gordon to the Seaport.

The south side of Crown Terrace had developed over the former railroad alignment, and, therefore, the trail has to snake through the neighborhood.

Passing by an elementary school but the school is not in session today.

The beginning of the famous Willow Bike Bridge is just across the Street.

Flanked by mature willow trees on both sides, riding down the Willow Bike Bridge is a wonderful experience. Local youths, however, enjoy it more for the thrill of a high-speed downhill ride, which we should look out for.

Passing by roof tops on the way down.

At the bottom of the Willow Bike Bridge lies Saint Claire's Shoppe -- a convenient store runs by the Sisters. The fully-equipped and fairly-priced store at about the halfway point along the rail trail is the chosen place to restock and rest for all trail users. We will stop here for a longer break to time the sunset to coincide our climb onto Sunset Hill later.

Riding on after a nice break.

Passing by a spur path to the Telescopes.

Another short section of the railroad remnant, crossing under the Delta Highway.

The circular groups of housing on the left tell us that we have arrived Brøndby Gardens. Sunset Hill is right in front of us.

A side path takes us through the community gardens at Brøndby Gardens.

Passing by the meticulously maintained community gardens.

Then we are onto the path toward Sunset Hill.

The sun is setting soon but we are almost there.

Arriving just in time...

... for a great view.

The path downhill would have been more treacherous without the bollard lights recently installed by the Friends of the Cross-Island Rail Trail.

Making our way downhill.

And back onto the rail trail.

And then to the southern end of the rail trail.

We've made it!

A connecting path takes us to the Port Avenue MRT Station, where we can take the subway home.

Millyard Revived!

Among notable attractions along the rail trail is the redeveloped Millyard – the origin of the Lionhart's only railroad. Three spectacular museum/event venues surrounding a fountain plaza anchor the former Millyard site and host many art and cultural events, alongside up-scale functions and weddings. However, the redevelopment of the mill building encountered hazardous materials, which had held up its renovation thus far but several searchlights were added to the landmark.

The revived Millyard has a series of fancy venues for special events.

Millyard at night.

 

[idlerTHE]

21st Post – The Cities of the Future​

After the completion and opening of the new airport and seaport, the Department of Urban and Economic Development created a brand-new development scheme called the Cities of the Future to supplant the long-lived New Town Program, which the Department decided had run its course.

A key reason for starting the new program was that, unless Lionhart created more man-made islands, there were few large open land plots to build in Lionhart and the Department wanted to make full use of the remaining plots.

As its name implies, the Cities of the Future program was designed to foster visionary and grandeur development, which must follow a fully private bid, build, and sale model, with the exception of the provision of certain municipal functions, such as emergency services and utilities.

FlyCity

The large plot of mixed grassland and woodland between Castle Hill (the southern end of Jurong City) and the South Coast was an obvious first candidate for the new program. Even though the residential neighborhoods on the South Coast had many housing offerings, more affluent citizens found these neighborhoods too close to the port facilities and industries they supported. Moreover, real estate opportunities abounded for office and retail businesses seeking proximity to the new airport.

The Department called for proposals to build a semi-self-sustaining district to fill the space. The winning proposal came from an in-region developer who employed a familiar consultant – the former Town Planner of Jurong. The winning proposal was developed on East Jurong’s inward-facing, urban village concept, but designed to a grander scale and more elegant setting.

The 4-lane tree-lined FlyCity Boulevard forms the backbone of the community – it picks up from the Castle Hill Bypass at India Town, runs south, and makes a wide U-turn to connect with the large clover-leaf interchange between the Delta Highway and the Airport Highway. From there, the boulevard curls west around the lakeshore and connects with the Treasure Cove Rim Road like a flowing ribbon.

Similar to East Jurong’s model, land on both sides of FlyCity Boulevard was formed into neighborhood blocks, known as estates in FlyCity, which were designed to be individual neighborhoods with residential towers and community amenities dedicated to residents. Unlike East Jurong, however, each estate is surrounded by fencing and landscaping, in a way resembling gated communities.

The road and block design was supposed to support both pedestrians and automobiles. However, it turned out to be neither except for looking good from a thousand feet above – the wide and long avenues fenced off except at the intersections aren’t particularly easy to walk through while cars have to drive a roundabout way to go from one estate to another, all while the main retail center – FlyCity Mall is far from most parts of the district by car or by walking. Nevertheless, FlyCity is a charm to anyone who enjoys walking/jogging, driving, or riding through neat and wide avenues flanked by tidy lines of street trees and residential towers.

Aerial view of FlyCity. The Authority HQ is the tower at the center with blue-colored glass windows, which houses the headquarters of both the Port Authority and the MRT Authority, thus its nickname -- the Transportation Building.

Looking south toward FlyCity from Little India/Castle Hill

Aerial view of Upper FlyCity

A tree-lined avenue through Upper FlyCity

A closer look

An "estate" block - a cluster of residential towers centered around community amenities.

North FlyCity MRT Station and the FlyCity High School.

Looking back toward Castle Hill

A street intersection in Lower FlyCity

The Mall in the Lower FlyCity neighborhood.

The commercial center around FlyCity Plaza

Wider view from across the highway

View from the FlyCity Cemetery

Lakeshore neighborhood

Offices at the Lakeshore

The west side of FlyCity called “The Crest”, as in at the top of the Treasure Cove Waterfall

"The Crest"

Sunset over the Crest

Nightfall over Flycity

Lakeshore at night

The Crest lit up

A street intersection at night.

FlyCity Cemetery and the FlyCity North MRT Station at night.

Upper FlyCity at night.

Inside an estate block at night.

Night view of FlyCity from somebody's roof deck.

FlyCity Plaza at night.

The FlyCity Square at night.

Avalon

Likely the last major plot of vacant land slated for development in the entire Lionhart – a plateau with rolling terrain largely isolated by the Cross Delta Highway and Camp Gordon. The Department was adamant that whatever goes here must be monumental. Moreover, the new city would have to be self-sufficient due to its isolation – e.g., public transportation, jobs, retail and commerce, public services, schools, and recreational facilities.

After a methodical and eventful bidding process, a European planning and design powerhouse with extensive development portfolios in the Middle East, including monumental city districts on elegantly shaped artificial islands off sandy coasts, won the bid with their design – Avalon. The designers introduced Avalon’s layout as if several water drops fell onto a still pond, creating ripples that fan out and overlap.

Avalon would have a strong entrance vista to give every visitor an exemplary first impression – a great lawn backdropped by monumental museums and Avalon’s commercial skyline. Beyond that, Avalon would have an elegant urban form with optimal spacing between buildings, maximized views of the greenery and West River, and a diverse mix of real estate development opportunities. The self-sufficient city would have a convenient transportation network for both internal circulation and external connection, as well as world-class municipal services.

The developer attracted deep-pocketed investors very quickly and got the construction underway. Aside from certain labor disputes involving foreign laborers, the construction process was smooth and it was completed on schedule and budget – culminating in a ribbon-cutting event attended by dignitaries and other VIPs from local and abroad, and a very proud Director of Urban and Economic Development. While premium real estate abounds across Lionhart, those who own a piece of Avalon are considered very lucky.

Aerial view of the entire Avalon.

View from the other end.

The Great Terrace on the south end of Avalon

Streets and paths with elegant and lush floras.

Avalon Commons at the Library

Merry-go-round park at the Southern Oval

One of the low-density residential outer rings, with a grand view of the river.

The less glamorous part of Avalon houses essential but nuisance-creating services and businesses, including the tram depot and the waste transfer station.

Sunset over Avalon Center

Sunset over Avalon Center

Sunset over the Avalon Public Library

Sunset over the Great Lawn

Avalon Center at night

Fancy houses at the northwestern corner of Avalon.

 

[idlerTHE]

22nd Post: MRT Transit Network​

The Metro Rapid Transit (MRT) Authority is a quasi-government entity, with the mission to provide reliable, affordable, and competitive public transit across all of Lionhart. The MRT transit network encompasses almost all public transit systems in Lionhart, except taxi cabs and private tour buses. Its system includes the subway, trams, transit buses, ferries, and the Lionridge Cable Car. Having all these systems under one umbrella allows MRT to institute a common fare payment system – the LionCard, the latest iteration that allowed virtual integration with smartphones via the LionCard app. MRT runs the subway and cable car systems directly but contracts other transit services to private transit operators.

MRT Subway

The MRT Subway System, or just MRT, was the primary transit system connecting all districts across Lionhart. The MRT has nine subway lines, close to a hundred subway trains, and a daily ridership in the millions. The MRT Authority was originally established to finance, build, and operate Lionhart’s first subway line from Old Lionhart to the National Mall (Light Green Line). A second subway line (Blue Line) was added to serve the newly developed Central Business District. The Light Green Line then extended to Chulek and then the Lionhart Cruiseport when these districts were built. Due to intense development near the national mall, MRT also moved the original subway maintenance depot to Chulek, which remains today.

Light Green Line train heading toward Chulek

National Mall North Station (Light Green Line, Turquoise Line, Red Line, Dark Blue Line)

National Mall above ground

The subway tunnels and stations beneath the National Mall

Old Lionhart MRT Subway Station (Light Green Line)

Cruiseport MRT Subway Station (Light Green Line)

Chulek MRT Subway Station (Light Green Line, Green Line)

Chulek Subway Depot

Brunswick Centre MRT Subway Station (Red Line, Turquoise Line, Orange Line)

A Red Line subway approaching the Brunswick Centre MRT Subway Station.


When the first new towns were built, the Red Line was built to serve Brunswick Centre and, later, Chesterton. Then the Mid-Levels Line (Dark Green Line) was built to serve Mid-Levels and Garland Peak. When Jurong expanded into a city, the new Orange Line was built to connect Jurong City to the Island of Lionhart, which terminates at Chulek.

The Turquoise Line was built as the Olympic District and Turquoise Coast were developed, which completed the subway loop around the Lionhart Island through the Lionridge Subway Tunnel, offering a second and more direct subway connection between the leeward coast to the windward coast, greatly relieving the overcrowding on subway trains.

Mid-Levels 2000 Block MRT Subway Station (Dark Green Line)

Lady's Manor MRT Subway Station (Dark Green Line, Orange Line)

Orange Line subway coming from Jurong City crossing the Lazy Cove Subway Bridge.

At the other end of the bridge

The busiest subway junction between Jurong City CBD and Jurong Crossing MRT Stations.

From another angle and time of day

Turquoise Line subway arriving at the Turquoise Coast MRT Subway Station.

Turquoise Line subway heading toward Chesterton

A Turquoise Line subway passing by the Olympic District


When the airport was moved, a new Airport Express Line (Dark Blue Line) was built to offer a one-ride connection between CBD/National Mall and the new airport. The tracks were laid alongside the highway improvements and incorporated as part of the Cross-Delta Bridge. A new subway maintenance depot was built at Oyster Bay to service the new line.

When FlyCity was built, the MRT headquarters moved there and the Blue Line was built from the airport to Jurong City. The Orange Line (Jurong City Line) also saw expansion to Camp Gordon and Letchworth New Town. A third subway maintenance depot was built next to the Old Mill District.

Dark Blue Line subway crossing the Cross-Delta Bridge toward the airport.

Oyster Bay Subway Depot

Lionhart International Airport MRT Interchange Station (Dark Blue Line, Light Blue Line, LIO Connector)

Lionhart International Airport above ground

Subway and Connector tunnels underneath

Light Blue Line subway traveling between FlyCity Plaza and FlyCity North MRT Stations.

Orange Line subway traveling between Letchworth and Camp Gordon.

Orange Line subway entering Letchworth

Old Mill Subway Depot - the newest of the three subway depots


The development of Crown Terrace and, later, Surrey New Town, necessitated two spur lines to be built and serviced by special trains (Silver Line). The Surrey New Town’s spur line extended to North Jurong and became part of the FlyCity Line (Blue Line).

Back on the Island of Lionhart, the new CityPoint brought the first and only cross-border rail connection to George Town (Yellow Line), as well as an extension of the Orange Line (Jurong City Line) to South Brunswick Industrial Park. The Orange Line train was rerouted from Chulek to a new underground track under the Red Line’s (Brunswick/Chesterton Line) tracks.

The expansion of the Crown Terrace Spur Line (Silver Line) into a complete subway line was the last expansion of the subway system – the Port Avenue Line (Dark Red Line) Line that ran between Jurong City Crossing and Port Avenue just off the cargo port. The Dark Red Line also serves Avalon, the newest district in Lionhart.

Castle Hill-South Jurong MRT Station (Light Blue Line, Dark Red Line)

Crown Terrace MRT Subway Station (Dark Red Line) -- the station with the most iconic architecture in all Lionhart.

Port Avenue MRT Interchange Station (Dark Red Line, South Coast Trams)

On the other end of the Dark Red Line - a subway traveling between Jurong City CBD and Surrey, passing the Jurong City Greenbelt beneath the tracks.

Dark Red Line subway traveling through the North Jurong industrial area.

Yellow Line subway heading toward Georgetown Centre


MRT Bus

In the early part of the Miracle Years, the national government commissioned a study for a comprehensive transit system for the growing city. The semi-regulated bus companies Lionhart relied on at the time were marginally reliable due to fierce competition but were plagued by customer steering, aggressive driving, and safety lapses. Moreover, none of the companies would serve routes with few passengers or far away while they piled on the most profitable routes, causing traffic congestion. Besides promoting the nascent MRT subway system, the study recognizes the vile and dysfunctional private transportation industry and calls for reforms. After facing strong resistance against regulations from the bus companies, the government made drastic measures to nationalize them all and placed them under MRT. Since then, the MRT Bus network supplemented the MRT Subway system, providing vital last-mile connections to districts and neighborhoods not directly on the subway system.

The National Mall Bus Terminal serves many bus routes, including cross-border coaches.

Buses in front of the Lionhart Opera House

Buses next to the Wide Gate in Chinatown

The Brunswick Centre Bus Terminal with its bus-dedicated highway off-ramp and on-ramp

A CityPoint shuttle bus

A bus traveling through The Steps beneath Jelutong

An articulated bus serving the hotel row along Highway-101.

A bus in North Jurong at night

The Rock Island Naval Base shuttle bus


MRT Trams

There are three separate tram (light rail) systems in Lionhart – all part of the MRT but run by private transit operators under contract. The Wilton Woods system was the first tram in Lionhart and is known for its radial network centered on a large rock in the central park. The system across the Treasure Island South Coast and another at Avalon are operated by the same operator but use different rolling stocks.

"The Rock" at Wilton Woods Park

A Wilton Woods Tram entering South Brunswick Industrial Park

The Wilton Woods trams also serve the Olympic District

Wilton Woods trams between Sempalit and the Olympic District

South Coast trams traveling along Port Avenue

South Coast tram in front of the FlyCity Plaza Tower

A South Coast tram traveling toward Port Island

An Avalon tram passing by the Great Lawn


MRT Ferry

During different times in history, Lionhartians had relied on ferries to travel to Jolore and Treasure Island but road bridges made the ferries obsolete. This was until the City Islands Mega Project brought back the need for water-based transportation. Lionhart’s planners originally intended to extend the subway to each of the City Islands but gave up the idea after they did a feasibility study – the limited projected ridership would not justify the subway’s high cost and necessary effort in overcoming engineering hurdles. There are currently two ferry lines in service – the City Islands Ferry runs around the islands near Old Lionhart, and the Treasure Island Ferry runs between Old Lionhart and Treasure Island with a stop at the International Airport.

A City Island ferry at the Old Lionhart Harbor

A City Islands ferry passing by the Marina Bay Island

The Treasure Cove Water Taxi is an extension of the Treasure Island Ferry, with a special charge for tourists.


Lionridge Cable Car

The cable car connects Lionridge with the National Mall and Turquoise Coast, offering spectacular views along its route. While cable cars mainly attract tourists and visitors, many commuters enjoy a more leisurely commute with views than conventional transportation. The passenger queues could get long during the busiest times of the day and year.

The Lionridge Cable Car

 

[idlerTHE]

23rd Post: Highway Networks​

Lionhart National Highway System

As a small nation, Lionhart has a compact but somewhat sophisticated two-tier highway system. Class I highways are exclusively grade-separated, median-divided, with access limited to motor vehicles, providing the bulk of high-speed travel routes around Lionhart. They are symbolized by red highway shields with white fonts, and designated with a letter prefix and a route number. If you understand the context, the letters are pretty straightforward – L for Lionhart Island routes; T for Treasure Island routes; and LT for inter-island routes. The route numbering follows two rules: the route numbers are assigned on a first-built first-assigned basis and never repeat, even among the different route prefixes; and, north-south routes are assigned odd numbers and east-west routes are assigned even numbers.

Even though they also have access limited to only motor vehicles, Class II highways are typically two-lane, undivided highways with occasional at-grade crossings to local streets. Class II highways do not have letter prefixes but only a route number, which is usually a magnitude of order higher than the Class I numbering sequence would ever reach, to prevent repetition. There are only three Class II highways, except for Route 101, the numbering for the other two is associated with the Class I highways they connect to.

Highway L-1 (near Garland Peak): The first divided, limited-access highway in Lionhart that was built to alleviate traffic congestion on the Old Highway (to the left) and reduce travel time to the border and new towns in-between.

Highway L-1 passes underneath the National Mall.

Highway L-1 near Brunswick Border Crossing

Highway LT-2 (on Cross-Delta Bridge): Originally as a highway spur off Highway L-1 to service Uptown Lionhart, LT-2 was extended to Treasure Island to provide a connection to the Port of Lionhart and beyond.

Highway L-3 (near Wilton Woods): The highway was built to spur and support development on the windward coast, from Wilton Woods to Turquoise Coast.

The Lionridge Tunnel is the key feature of Highway L-3.

Highway L-3: The Lionridge Tunnel Toll Plaza on the western end of the tunnel.

Highway LT-4 (near East Jurong): Even though it is numbered after LT-2, LT-4 is actually the first cross-island highway link, built to service the then growing Town of Jurong.

Highway LT-4 over the Jurong City Greenbelt

Highway L-5 (near the Lady's Manor): Wrapping around the west side of Garland Peak, L-5 was built to provide better connection between the two cross-island highways and the rest of the highway network on Lionhart Island.

Highway L-5 near Mid-Levels

Highway T-6 (near Crown Terrace): Also known as the Castle Hill Bypass, T-6 provides a closer highway connection to the Castle Hill-South Jurong area because there is no north-south highway connection on the east side of Treasure Island.

Highway T-7 (near LIO): The highway disappears at the interchange between the airport and seaport, going beneath the inner channel and airport tarmac before going above-ground and terminating at the airport terminals.

Highway T-7 as seen above ground.

Highway T-7 in the underground view. Note the highway ramps to the freight terminal.

Highway T-9 (near Camp Gordon): The Cross-Island Highway (for Treasure Island) was the last Class I Highway built in Lionhart. T-9 provide a critical north-south highway link across Treasure Island and connect two border crossings, as well as the Lionhart's and Jolore's seaports.

Highway T-9 near Avalon.

Highway 21 (between Pleasant Island and Rock Island): A highway spur off LT-2, Route 21 extends the highway access to the City Islands. The City's traffic engineers envisioned a reconfiguration of this highway with additional entrances and exits when the two island further develop.

Highway 94 (near North Jurong): The highway was built to link Jurong City with the two northwestern new towns. Route 94 also serve as a popular cut-through for cross-border traffic to and from Jurong City, as well as freight traffic in and out of the North Jurong Industrial Area.

There are two sets of traffic signals along Highway 94, including this one near Surrey New Town.

Highway 101 (passing through Lionhart's College's Turquoise Coast Campus): Wrapping around the Lionhead on the eastern end of Lionhart Island, Highway 101 is recognized as the most scenic highway of all Lionhart. Highway 101 also offers multiple views of the volcano islands to the east.

Highway 101 approaching the Three Coves

Highway 101 near Three Coves (seen on the left beneath the hill)

Highways in Jolore

Jolore also has two highway tiers – Federal and State Highways. Logically, the Federal Highways (symbolized by a green hexagon shield) are constructed and maintained by the Federal Government and are numbered on a nationwide basis. In contrast, State Highways (symbolized by a square shield, stylized with a cropped star) are constructed and maintained by the Jolore State Government and were numbered on a statewide basis. Interestingly, the north-south highways in Jolore are numbered evenly, and east-west highways oddly, opposite from their Lionhart’s counterparts.

Federal Highway 3 (at the Strait Coast Border Crossing): This federal highway runs along the Strait Coast and connect to several major cities beyond the State of Jolore. It is connected to Federal Highway 9 via Federal highway 10 just beyond the Lionhart region.

Federal Highway 9 (at George Town Border Crossing): Federal Highway 9 is an important highway both within the State of Jolore and beyond, connecting both George Town and Jolore City with the Federal Capital City hundreds of miles away.

Federal Highway 9 near Cerah Islands

Federal Highway 9 near Cerah Islands

Federal Highway 9 inside Jolore City

Federal Highway 9 inside Jolore City

Federal Highway 28 (inside Jolore City): A federal highway that link Jolore with the adjacent states to the north. The highway was extended when the Letchworth-Jolore City Border Crossing was built.

Federal Highway 28 inside Jolore City

Federal Highway 28: Massive Interchange with Federal Highway 9

State Highway 1 (near Burung Enggang Forest): Known as the Royal Highway, State Highway 1 runs west along the coast to the outer regions of the State of Jolore. The local section of Federal Highway 9 was originally part of State Highway 1.

State Highway 1 near Pantai Panjang

State Highway 1 near Newmont Jolores Refining Complex

State Highway 1 near Pantai Ketenangan

State Highway 4 (near Lower Slopes): A relatively short bypass on the north side of Jolore City, connecting two federal highways. It is known for the slums that built up to the edge of the road.

State Highway 8 (passing through the Resort Zone): A highway spur off State Highway 1 built to service the many resorts in the Resort Zone.

State Highway 8: One of the many resorts

Highway 8: Another view

Highway 8 rotory at Pantai Pajang

State Highway 12 (near Colossal Ore Jolores): State Highways 12 and 14 are built to enhance the highway connection and reduce traffic congestion to Jolore's agricultural and industrial districts. Heavy freight traffic is a norm on both highways but particularly here at their junction.

State Highway 12: The highway has two iconic elongated rotaries - one shown here.

State Highway 12: And the other.

State Highway 12: Busy traffic at the highway interchange with Federal Highway 9.

State Highway 14: Also known as the Agricultural Highway, Highway 14 was built to service Jolore's agricultural district, including Sunrise Growers' massive fruit orchard.

Border Crossings

The two highway systems are connected through three bridges and corresponding border crossings. As both Lionhart and Jolore originated from the same former colony, there are not many differences in driving on either side of the border, even the speed limit. Thanks to cordial diplomatic relations between Lionhart and Jolore, citizens of either enjoy expedited border checks while foreigners would have to undergo the typical entry process. The Straight Coast border crossing between the two seaports also offers expedited custom checks and import/export processing for inter-port freight traffic.

The Brunswick-George Town Border Crossing is the busiest crossing in the region. The Jolore's side (George Town) of the border shown here.

The Letchworth-Jolore City Border Crossing provide a direct border connection to Jolore City. The Lionhart's side (Letchworth) shown here.

The Jolore's side (Jolore City).

The Strait Coast Border Crossing provides a road connection for inter-port freight traffic, which is essential for the partnering seaports. The Lionhart's side shown here, with the Port of Jolore visible in the background.

Highway Interchanges

It would be a disservice if I didn’t cover highway interchange in this post. Not only are they one of the most exciting and interesting elements of CS, highway interchanges in Lionhart and Jolore are indispensable for keeping traffic flowing across the entire regional highway network. While there are fancy and stylish interchange designs around the world, the interchanges here are grounded in functionality. Due to land constraints and hilly terrain around Lionhart, several interchanges were built underground and hidden from view. Even so, unique settings and geographies among the interchanges still resulted in many interesting layouts.

The Brunswick Border Crossing Highway Interchange (L-1 & L-3)

The Brunswick Border Crossing Highway Interchange in underground view, turned 180 degree from the previous image. L-1 enters from top right, spiral downwards, and then exist bottom left. Various highway ramp tunnels shoot off the spiral, including those connected to L-3, which continues off the image's top left.

The Mid-Levels-Fairview Height Highway Interchange (LT-2 & 21)

The Mid-Levels-Fairview Height Highway Interchange in underground view. LT-2 runs from top left to bottom left whereas Highway 21 enters from bottom right and transition into local road on top right. The tunnels of LT-2 are beneath the tunnels of Highway 21 and various ramps connect them to each other.

The Lady's Manor Highway Interchange (LT-4 & L-5)

The Lady's Manor Highway Interchange in underground view, turned 90 degree clockwise from the previous image. LT-4 enters from top left and exit top bottom, with ramp tunnels connecting to L-5, which exits from bottom right. There is also a subway tunnel beneath the highway interchange.

The Five Dragons Highway Interchange (L-1 & LT-4)

The Five Dragons Highway Interchange in underground view.

The custom highway interchange servicing the Port of Jolore just beyond the Strait Coast Border Crossing.

The Crown Terrace Highway Interchange (T-6 & T-9): Where the two highways connect to each other and with the frontage roads.

The Camp Gordon Highway Interchange (LT-4 & T-9): Standard clover leaf with an end on a roundabout

Not highway interchanges, but the series of median highway ramps on LT-4 near the Jurong City Greenbelt and Old Mill District are quite an unique layout.

The North Jurong Highway Interchange (LT-4 & 94) is located underneath the Jurong City Stadium.

The North Jurong Highway Interchange in underground view, revealing a typical clover leaf interchange layout.

The double-roundabouts at the Letchworth Border Crossing Highway Interchange (T-9 & 94).

The Jolore City South/Border Crossing Highway Interchange (Federal Highway 9 & Federal Highway 28): The biggest highway interchange in the region, featuring five levels if not counting the railroad underneath the interchange.

Looking across The Jolore City South/Border Crossing Highway Interchange.

The Burung Enggang Forest Highway Interchange (Federal Highway 9, State Highway 12, & State Highway 1): Actually consisted of three inter-connected highway interchanges, with an additional one nearby.

At the upper right corner of this picture, the North Jolore Highway Interchange (Federal Highway 28 & State Highway 4) is a typical T-type interchange. However, the adjacent highway exit, as seen in the foreground, is better known for its unique design and the illegal development next to it.

 

[idlerTHE]

24th Post: Jolore City – Part 1​

Jolore City has been the cultural and political center of the Jolore Peninsular since ancient times and the city’s history goes back a long way. The most famous chapter of its history certainly falls on the last Sultan of Jolore – his bravery, cunningness, and stories of betrayal and defiance. The Sultan has been portrayed in many plays, novels, movies, and TV dramas but the most accurate account can be found at the Jolore History and Culture Museum.

The ancient city survived the European conquest but was lost to the Great Jolore City Fire several years into the colonial administration. With support from the Crown, then Governor Garland rebuilt the city based on a grid plan, centered on the seat of the colonial administration – the Governor’s Manor and the Colonial Office Building (today’s State President's Manor and Jolore City Hall, respectively), which are known as the Civic Quadrangle alongside the Great Mosque of Jolore. Unfortunately, Governor Garland’s untimely passing left the rebuilding effort to his successors, which deviated from the grid plan.

The Civic Quadrangle - Brainchild of Governor Garland, the first governor of the Jolore Colony

The State President's Manor, formerly known as the Governor's Manor

Jolore City Hall

The Great Mosque of Jolore

Another view of Jolore City from above

Although overshadowed by Lionhart today, Jolore City is by no means any less than a modern world-class city. Next to the Civic Quadrangle is the well-developed Jolore City Central Business District – the financial hub of the Jolore State, flanked by streets with restaurants, shops, and other businesses. Just north of the Civic Quadrangle is the city’s transportation hub – the Jolore City Central Train Station and Bus Terminals. A passenger rail network connects the city with the surrounding towns and industrial centers, whereas a robust bus system serves Jolore City’s districts and neighborhoods.

Adjacent to the Central Train Station is the Jolore State Stadium, which is the largest sports stadium in the region including Lionhart. Even though the Stadium houses a football team, it is primarily designed for cricket, which is the most popular sport across Jolore.

The skyline of the Jolore City Central Business Districts

View along High Street, the main road across Jolore City

The Jolore City CBD as seen from Federal Highway Route 9

The Independence Circle with a victory column inspired by a counterpart in a certain European nation. Constructed when Jolore gained independence, the circle and column are aligned with the Avenue of the Martyrs (in picture) and the Civic Quadrangle (see picture below).

The Independence Circle as seen from above

The Jolore City Central Train Station and Bus Terminals are a very busy place.

Regional and local trains service the Central Train Station

The Jolore State Stadium as seen from Federal Highway Route 28

The same view at night

The Fountain of the Sultans, more commonly known as the Stadium Fountain Circle or just the Fountain Circle, was built alongside the Independence Circle after Jolore gained its independence to commemorate Jolore's pre-colonial rulers and heritage.

The Fountain as seen from the Stadium's steps

The Jolore State Stadium as seen from above

To the north and west, the downtown area is pretty much demarcated by the North Avenue and West Avenue, beyond them are the two suburbs – the northern suburb, known for its city zoo, and the western suburb, known for its city cemetery. In between the two suburbs lies the Corner Tower Mosque, where its namesake – the northern corner tower of the old city wall, once stood.

The downtown area is bounded by Federal Highway Routes 28 and 9 to the east and south, respectively. However, with both highways being double-deck, a mix of commercial and light industrial businesses line the local streets beneath – a busy and noisy place that was highly sought by retail and service businesses for its high-volume foot and vehicle traffic.

Beyond Route 9 to the south is South Jolore City, one of two main industrial districts around the city. This district mainly houses the light industry and manufacturing businesses that support the city. In contrast, the other industrial district, East Jolore City Industrial Zone, focuses on heavy industries that support the wider region.

The suburbs of Jolore City, as seen from the north. The northern suburb with its city zoo is visible in the center.

A closeup at the polar bear exhibit at the Jolore City Zoo, which is the most popular animal exhibit at the zoo.

The Jolore City Cemetary at the western suburb.

The Corner Tower Mosque at the convergence of Northern Avenue and Western Avenue.

A wider view of the area around the Corner Tower Mosque

Where Western Avenue meets Federal Highway Route 9

Federal Highway Route 9 runs between the downtown area and the industrial South Jolore City.

The "Railtruck Strip" is a residential neighborhood squeezed between the highway and the railroad tracks on the east side of the city.

Further north along the Railtruck Strip

Night view of Jolore City

From another angle

Closeup on the Jolore Sign.

 

[idlerTHE]

25th Post: Jolore City – Part 2​

Unity Monument

After decolonization took place up and down the peninsular, a democratic pan-national movement brought the newly independent states, including Jolore, to form a federalized union. Every state would maintain a high level of political and economic autonomy, including the right to forge diplomatic and economic relations with neighboring countries. While proud of their heritage and history, which involved a fair bit of rivalry with neighboring states, Jolorians recognized both the greater good of cooperation and the political reality of the day – the treacherous Lionhartian independence from the former Jolore Colony.

The Unity Monument was erected to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the Union’s founding. Rather than in the city center, the Monument was built on a small hill on the outskirts, which commands a remarkable view of the city skyline.

Unity Monument at mid-day, as viewed toward Jolore City.

Another view of the monument.

The Steps

At the bottom of Sultan’s Retreat lies a slum that sprung up after the government razed slums closer to the city for development and a bypass highway. The current slum sits on former royal land that was once under the custody of the Sultan’s Steward and the care of subordinate tenant farmers. The Europeans largely left the arrangement intact under the authority of the Governor’s Groundskeeper. While the farmland on the upper slope remained in the hands of the tenant farmers’ decedents, squatters consisting mainly of urban migrants took over a large swath of the lower slope.

A group of Jolorian refugees from Lionhart named the slum after a similar slum in Lionhart. Although life wasn’t easy, and certainly not comfortable, at the Steps, the residents were grateful to have a foothold in Jolore City and made do with what they had. Fortunately, public awareness of their plight brought outside help to improve living conditions. Among non-government organizations that had set up on the Steps, there are now a school, clinic, fire station, and several police outposts.

While its living conditions leave more to be desired, the Steps got great views of the city skyline.

The entire view of the hill, from the Steps at the bottom to the Sultan's Retreat in the top.

The Steps and the Jolore Polytechnic Institute on different sides of the Avenue of the Martyrs.

Jolore Polytechnic Institute

Into the second decade of the Jolore Colony, the colonial administration founded the Jolore Technical School to train skilled labor much needed for the Colony’s expansion, which would otherwise be very costly to import. Over time, the school's curriculum expanded to cover every trade present in the Colony while also engaging in research for various industries. The administration saw fit to rename the school as Jolore Polytechnic Institute, affectionately JPI.

The JPI campus was once located just outside Jolore City's Civil Quadrangle. However, by the Union’s 25 Anniversary, the institution needed more space to grow. After much political maneuvering and fundraising, a new JPI campus was built on the south side of the Sultan’s Retreat. Around a quadrangle cut into the slope, campus buildings tug into the hillside and navigate the elevation changes with many stairways and retaining walls. The campus expanded further to the south over the years, including the Criminal Justice School and Police Academy across the street from the laboratory buildings and the most recent buildings – the Business and Tourism School and the JPI Arena across the highway. With a strong academic lineage and abundant financial resources, many of the JPI academic programs rival that of Lionhart College.

The JPI Campus, as seen from the north. The JPI Administration Building is front and center.

Another angle of the JPI campus from the north.

The JPI campus as viewed from the west.

A close-up on the Administration Building.

The Quad at JPI

Dorms and dinning commons on the left and foreground, with the lab buildings behind, followed by the Criminal Justice School and Police Academy. The Business and Tourism School and the JPI Arena are on the background to the right.

The gigantic lab building complex

From left to right: JPI Collegiate High School, JPI Business and Tourism School, JPI Train Station (served by Jolore Regional Rail) and JPI Arena.

Sultan’s Retreat

The Magnificent Sultant built the hilltop stronghold during the apex of the Jolore Sultanate, which was used as a summer retreat for the royal family. The Royal Cemetary was also built next to the stronghold. Consequently, the entire hill was off-limit to the peasantry, who could only marvel at the magnificent view from afar.

When the Sultanate came to an end with the fall of the Jolore City, royal guards at the stronghold deserted, which was then thoroughly plundered and burned by looters, fleeing civilians, and bands of opportunistic European soldiers slipping out of their camps. The ruins were left alone throughout the colonial administration.

As Jolore gained its independence, the Jolorian culture and heritage, as well as interest in the history of the Sultanate, experienced a revival. Coinciding a grand plan to commemorate the patriotic martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the independence cause, the new government decided to develop the hilltop into a respectable site for Jolorians and visitors to learn, commemorate, and celebrate the Jolorian roots. Taking the cable car to the hilltop, visitors will find the preserved stronghold ruins and royal cemetery, the stunning Hilltop Mosque, the Jolore History and Culture Museum, and the Martyrs’ Tomb next to the royal cemetery. Spotlights also lit up the remnants of the stronghold fortifications at night, adding to Jolore City’s evening skyline.

From left to right: Jolore History and Culture Museum, Hilltop Mosque, stronghold ruins, cable car terminal.

The Royal Cemetery in the front and the Martyrs’ Tomb in the back.

Sultan's Retreat at dusk, with the Avenue of the Martyrs lit up all the way to the victory column at Independence Circle.

Sultan's Retreat at night.

As seen from afar.

The Royal Cemetery and Martyrs’ Tomb at night.

Bonus: Jolore City Train Depot

When they introduce railroads to the region, the railroad tycoons chose Jolore City as a base for railroad expansion. They built a train roundhouse – where train engines were stored and maintained, on the plain outside Jolore City, where it still stands today. Over the years, the train depot expanded to serve the increasing freight and passenger volumes. Today, while no longer serving freight trains, the depot services the Jolore Regional Rail multiple-unit trains while the roundhouse is in the process of being converted into the Jolore Railway History Museum.

The historic Roundhouse on the left, and later additions to the right.

As seen from the front.

The train depot is surrounded by busy train tracks.

 

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26th Post: The Industries of Jolore​

If Lionhart were the proverbial financial juggernaut for the region, then Jolore would be the industrial engine that powers the juggernaut. Raw material extraction and refining, primary manufacturing, transportation, and logistics – Jolore has almost every kind of material and goods ready for Lionhart’s advanced manufacturing and consumption, which in turn fuels Lionhart’s financial sector.

Colossal Ore Jolore

The most conspicuous industry has to be the Colossal Ore’s open pit mine next to the city. Although many people have found the mine unsightly, the mine has provided many jobs, critical materials for industry and development, and tremendous contribution to the local and regional economy. Ran by a subsidiary of the world’s largest mining conglomerate, Colossal Ore Jolore is in its third decade of operation, supplying the region with various types of ore and minerals, as well as construction aggregate.

While the open pit mine got all the attention, beneath it lies a sprawling ore refining and foundry complex. Here, ore, rocks, and sand are turned into metals and composites, as well as glass, ready to be trucked to the factories and construction sites next door or afar.

While Colossal Ore holds mineral and land rights beyond the mine, with the potential to expand the mine, the conglomerate faced staunch resistance from a broad alliance of environmental groups, indigenous groups, and local politicians. Colossal Ore had taken on many goodwill projects and programs to maintain its generally agreeable relationship with the residents of Jolore City. Among these projects and programs, the Jolore sign is the most visible and is relished by many residents.

The open pit mine operated by Colossal Ore Jolore.

The mine from another angle looking toward Lionhart

The mine is supported by a large power substation, a freight rail station, and various sorting and processing facilities.

Various kinds of excavators, including two large wheel excavators imported from Europe.

The freight rail station dedicated to transporting mined ores and aggregates to the refining and foundry complex downhill.

Looking over the Jolore sign toward downtown Jolore City

The Jolore sign is as much a landmark at night as during the day.

Open pit mine at night

The mine from another angle looking toward Lionhart, at night

East Jolore Industrial Zone

The Colossal Ore refining and foundry complex forms part of the East Jolore industrial Zone, which also houses a variety of both supporting and independent heavy industries. The industrial zone has a well-developed logistic network – from warehouses to rail and air freight logistic centers, as well as a connection to the inter-regional highway system. Nominally part of Jolore City, the industrial zone is governed by an independent administration that prioritizes business and economic interests, which has a tendency to neglect environmental and social issues such as pollution and workers’ welfare.

The ore refining and foundry complex associated with the mine

Rail connection allows easy transportation of raw and finished materials from the complex.

Beside Colossal Ore's refining and foundry complex, East Jolore Industrial Zone also hosts many businesses, such as Meerkat Press, an industrial printing press.

Power is critical in keeping the factories and foundries running.

Air pollution is a serious issue at the industrial zone.

A far view of the East Jolore Industrial Zone

The rail logistical center is a key component of the industrial zone.

Another view of the rail logistical center

Non-stop freight traffic transporting raw materials and finished goods in and out of the industrial zone.

Looking from above

Newmont Refining Complex

Way down the eastern coast lies Jolore’s other industrial behemoth – a large refining complex that refines oil extracted locally from both on-land derricks and an ocean drilling rig, as well as oil imported from elsewhere in the region, into different kinds of fuels and by-products, including plastics. Aside from two huge refineries, multiple petrochemical and cracker plants, and a large oil tank farm, the complex also has a freight rail terminal, passenger rail terminal, a company town to house its many workers, and even a helipad with regular direct service to the regional airport.

Far view of the Newmont refining complex.

Pipelines, tanks, and smokestacks.

Looking from the other end.

Oil tanker terminals.

Stockyard for various oil and fuel products.

The refining complex also has several land-based oil wells.

Busy freight traffic on both roads and rails.

The freight rail station at the Newmont refining complex.

The passenger train station that serves both workers at the refinery, their families living in the company town (visible to the left), and tourists heading to the resorts via a bus connection.

Heliport at the complex allow quick transportation to and from Jolore Regional Airport.

The company town is officially part of the refining complex and unnamed. Its residents referred it as "Newmontville" or "Oil Town".

Newmont Refining Complex at night.

Smokestacks at night.

Oil tanks at night.

Worker's dormitories at night.

The offshore drilling rig, like the open pit mine, is an unsightly yet iconic landmark.

Burung Enggang Forest

Name after the state bird – Hornbill in English, the rugged terrain of the small range preserved the dense forest from extensive development. Nevertheless, Mandiri Wood Products – a long-time family company specializing in age-old sustainable forestry techniques, has a big timber harvesting business here. Construction lumber, furniture-grade tropical wood, industrial fiber, all kinds of paper, and many more wood products – the mark of Mandiri Wood is ubiquitous in Jolore, Lionhart, and on the many products exported worldwide that involve wooden components. The company is widely praised for its fair compensation to its employees and effort in protecting the environment, including conservation efforts in protecting the untouched parts of the forest, where the Hornbills roam.

Despite a working landscape, Burung Enggang Forest adds a large patch of green buffer between the cities and developed districts.

The Company HQ of Mandiri Wood Products and tree nursery

Large residential complex for the forestry workers.

Tree plantations and a fire watch tower

The Burung Enggang Forest Emergency Response Center with freighting and rescue helicopters at the center, surrounded by various storage and wood processing facilities. Agricultural fields of Sungai Teduh in the background.

A far view of the working part of the Burung Enggang Forest

A regional view also showing Sungai Teduh and the Newmont Refining Complex

Sungai Teduh River Plain

Shady River in English, Sungai Teduh springs from the high mountains beyond Jolore and cascades down a series of ridges lining the north side of a vast inland river plain. The river has supported the vibrant agriculture on the river plain since ancient times. Sungai Teduh is also referred to the entire river plain area that covers crop fields and orchards further west, where two parallel rivers once flowed before they were diverted and subdued after the opening of the Colossal Ore mine.

Agriculture across the Sungai Teduh River Plain provides a significant share of the region’s food, as well as agriculture exports to other states and countries. While many smaller family farms are still in operation, several large commercial outfits dominate the local agricultural industry, such as the multi-national fruit giant Sunrise Growers, and local meatpacking and dairy co-op Jaya Farms.

Most recently, a long-running conservation effort to restore and protect the Sungai Teduh had come to fruition – the donation-funded Sungai Teduh Nature Preserve opened its doors to visitors after being recognized by the Jolore Government. From the whitewater cascades upstream to the Nature Museum downstream, the nature preserve offers educational opportunities to local students and another excursion destination to the many holidaymakers at the resorts along the coast.

The entire view of the Sungai Teduh River Plain

The railroad that runs down the river plain is a good marker to orient oneself among the many similar-looking fields.

Freight train passing by farmfields and orchards.

Sungai Teduh has many family farms.

Train passing by the Sungai Teduh, with the Mosque on the Hill visible.

The railroad cut through the grounds of Jaya Farms, a local meatpacking and dairy co-op.

Various crop fields at Jaya Farms growing animal fodder crops.

The cattle yards and grazing pastures.

From another angle toward Lionhart.

A farm road among the Sunrise Growers orchards.

Part of the orchard is really close to the airport runway.

Jolore State Highway 14 borders the large orchard.

The orchard at sunset.

The heart of the Sungai Teduh Nature Preserve -- the Nature Museum on right and the Sungai Teduh Equestrian Center on left.

The slower downstream section of the Sungai Teduh.

The Sungai Teduh Bird and Bees Reservation at the downstream end of the nature preserve.

The faster upstream section of Sungai Teduh.

Designed by a renown Muslim architect, the Mosque on the Hill was commissioned by the influential owner family of Mandiri Wood Products and is a very popular wedding venue.

Looking toward Lionhart at sunset.

The sheep know it is almost time to go to sleep after a long day of grazing.

But many truck drivers don't rest at night.

Bonus: Jolore Regional Aiport

The second largest airport in the Jolore region, the Jolore Regional Airport serves a heavy mix of passenger, freight, and military flight traffic with its two crisscrossing runways – 28-10 and 23-05. Next to rail lines and logistic centers at the East Jolore Industrial Zone, the airport is well integrated into the regional transportation network. Travelers are only a short train ride away from the Jolore City Central Station and air-going cargos are loaded directly between train cars and planes’ cargo holds.

The Jolore Regional Airport.

As seen from the other side

The passenger terminal is moderately sized but very busy

The rail-to-air terminal is large and even busier

Military jets and helicopters at the ready

The airport's passenger train station is the key connection to and from the surrounding cities and districts.

A research office park next to the airport.

Jolore Regional Airport at night.

Regional Airport as viewed toward Jolore City.