Stevens MRT station

DTL Platform A of Stevens station.

The station was first announced as part of DTL2 (Downtown line Stage 2) on 15 July 2008.[5] After a public poll in 2009, the station kept its working name as "Stevens".[6][7][3]

Contract 919 for the design and construction of Stevens station and associated tunnels was awarded to Sembawang Engineers and Constructors Pte Ltd at an approximate value of S$378.2 million (US$259.93 million) in July 2009. The contract also includes the construction of the adjacent Botanic Gardens station. Construction of the station was scheduled to commence in the third quarter of 2009 and targeted to complete by 2015.[8]

The station opened on 27 December 2015 along with the other DTL Stage 2 stations.[9][10] Two other entrances, Exits B and C, opened on 23 November 2019.[11] The construction of the 65-metre (213 ft) underpass involves using new tunnel technology, a rectangular tunnel boring machine (RTBM), which minimises disruptions on the ground and enable the construction to be completed ahead of schedule.[12][13]

Construction of the TEL station

On 15 August 2014, LTA announced that Stevens station would be part of the proposed (TEL). The station will be constructed as part of Phase 3, consisting of 13 stations between the Mount Pleasant and Gardens by the Bay stations, and is expected to be completed in 2021.[14][15]

Contract T216 for the design and construction of Stevens TEL Station and associated tunnels was awarded to Daewoo Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd at a sum of S$441 million (US$348.05 million) on April 2014. Construction started in 2014, with completion expected in 2021.[16]

Stevens station currently serves the DTL between the Botanic Gardens and Newton stations. The station code is currently DT10 as reflected on official maps.[17] The station operates between 5:48 am (6:08 am on Sundays and public holidays) and 12:30 am. Train frequencies range from 2 to 5 minutes depending on peak hours.[18]

When the TEL opens in 2021, Stevens station will be an interchange between the DTL and TEL. The station will be between the Mount Pleasant and Napier stations on the TEL.[19]

Located at the junction of Bukit Timah Road and Stevens Road, it is next to the Wayang Satu Flyover and the Bukit Timah Canal.[20][21] The station serves the schools of Singapore Chinese Girls’ School, Saint Joseph’s Institution and Chinese International School. It is also close to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau Reporting and Heritage Centre and the Tanglin Community Centre.[22]

DTL Platform B, which is on a different level from Platform A

Stevens is one of the smallest MRT stations on the DTL due to its location near the Wayang Satu Flyover and the Bukit Timah Canal. As a result, the LTA and the contractor had to implement the stacked platform arrangement, with each platform serving each direction on different levels. The station has a depth of 34.22 metres (112.3 ft).[23] Stevens is the first station to have a set of fare gates serving each of the platforms, so as to allow public access for the rest of the station.[24][25]

However, commuters had raised concerns about being charged when switching platforms within the station, as there is no paid link between the two platforms. After public concerns, it was announced on 31 December 2015 that there would be a 10-minute grace period for commuters to exit and re-enter their desired platform without being charged from 2 January 2016 onwards.[24][26][27]

An artwork, "PIN - 23040" by Om Mee Ai, is display at this station as part of the MRT network's Art-in-Transit programme. As a reference to the nature and heritage of the area, which had a diversity of exotic plantations back in the 19th century, the artwork consists of manually stamped patterns of the foliage, seeds and fruits of nutmeg and rubber trees.[28] The artwork is to remind daily commuters of the distinct historical and natural identity of the surrounding area.[29][30]