THE controversial new road that will cut across what some Portsdown Road residents refer to affectionately as 'little Bohemia' is needed to cut travel times for Queensway, Commonwealth and Tanglin Halt residents, the Land Transport Authority says.

Now, it takes up to 10 minutes for Jurong-bound motorists to get from Queensway to the Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE) via either Alexandra Road or North Buona Vista Road.

With the new 1.1 km-long link between Queensway and the AYE, it will take about three minutes.

The new road will become even more important with the development of one-north in Buona Vista, said Mr Yap Boon Leong, the LTA's manager for road construction.

One-north, a city-within-a-city devoted to research and development, will take up to 20 years to be developed fully, but will be partially ready by the end of this year.

He said: 'The Education Ministry and Science Park are already housed in the area - with plans for one-north, we can expect traffic volumes to increase. The new road will provide an alternative means to access these places.'

The LTA's explanations come in the wake of complaints by Portsdown Road residents that the planned $35 million road, to be ready by 2005, will destroy the area's lush, green and tranquil atmosphere.

They are also unhappy that it will necessitate pulling down the Colbar, a 50-year-old neighbourhood hangout, and two adjoining shops.

That is not all that will have to be bulldozed. The Gloucester Archery Range and Field, and the Temasek Club's driving range, will have to go as well.

Housewife Alice Lee, 38, who lunches at the Colbar several times a month, said: 'I am all for development, but we have to draw the line somewhere.

'Here is a lovely place for families and kids, and the Government wants to build six lanes of road. Even if motorists have to travel 10 minutes more without it, what's the big deal?'

Yesterday, the LTA told The Straits Times that the link will benefit Portsdown Road residents too, giving them easy access to areas nearby such as Queensway, Bukit Merah and Alexandra.

Engineer Suraj Rama, 36, who lives in Tanglin Halt Road, is all for the project. 'In the mornings, when I need to get to the AYE, I have to use North Buona Vista Road, which can get quite congested. The link will provide a good alternative.'

When told some residents and Colbar patrons have started a petition to block its construction, he said: 'I can understand their frustration because the area is special to them. But sometimes, we just have to be practical.'

About 170 trees will have to be chopped down to make way for the link, but new ones will be replanted where possible, says the LTA. The new road will have a dual three-lane carriageway with two flyovers, one over the AYE and the other over the railway tracks. It will be built in two phases.

It is part of a plan to improve the network of major roads surrounding the city. The outer ring road, as the cordon is called, includes Bartley Road, Braddell Road, Lornie Road, Farrer Road and Queensway. The new road will link that cordon with the AYE.

The LTA has also been improving the outer ring road.

Mr Yap said: 'We hope that with the improvements, motorists will opt for the outer roads to access the city, instead of driving through it and adding to the congestion.'

For example, to get from Adam Road to the Esplanade theatres, they can use Farrer Road, Holland Road and then the AYE, instead of driving through the city via Orchard and Bras Basah roads.