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It was a quarter past midnight as you drove along Whampoa Road. Although there were few vehicles on the street, the speed was low due to the implementation of the Senior Citizens Only Zone plan in the area and the implementation of road safety measures that benefit seniors.

Then your attention is drawn to a blue object in the distance, and as the car gets closer, it becomes larger and clearer. What initially looked like a flat object gradually turns into something else.

But don’t worry. These aren’t spooky UFOs, but clever 3D traffic signs that seem to appear out of nowhere on the road. They were first trialled in December 2018 as part of the Land Transport Authority’s (LTA) efforts to create safer roads and see if driver speeds remain lower over time.

The markings, modeled on Japanese 3D road markings, help reduce traffic speeds in areas such as residential areas with a large proportion of elderly people or at highway exits.

In our fast-paced lives, everyone needs help to calm down, including drivers. Traffic restriction markings have been used for over a decade to reduce speed and encourage safer driving. The new 3D markings further increase drivers’ awareness of the road situation and remind them to slow down. They are designed as follows.

There’s a first time for everything, and the LTA team wanted to make sure they got it right. For example, they had to come up with a clearly visible 3D design for the road sign. Then they had to narrow down the colour palette so that the markings would stand out from the regular road signs. After months of collaboration and searching for the right solution, the team finally came up with a successful design. Wonderful!

The inspector on site chose the right place for the 3D markings restricting traffic movement and drew its outline on the road.

The mold is then coated with hot thermoplastic and left to dry. Since there are two colors (blue and yellow), this step is done twice.

Finally, expect a miracle. It takes about five hours to apply 10 sets of 3D traffic restriction markings.

Since the experimental introduction of the markings in December 2018, we have seen a reduction in traffic speeds of approximately 15%.

The Land Transport Authority first conducted the trial on the Whampoa Expressway and then extended the markings to two exit ramps of the expressway – from PIE (BKE) to Eng Sing Expressway and from BKE (SLE to Bukit Panjang Road. Since the roads are relatively straight and long, without any significant turns, these two locations are ideal for installing the 3D markers.