The earliest mention of milestones in
newspapers here dates back to 1843.
According to map consultant Mok Ly Yng,
the system has its roots in the Roman Empire.
Roads in Singapore were traditionally divided
into miles and marked by milestones that had
numbers carved onto their surfaces.
The starting point was the General Post Office −
present-day Fullerton Hotel.
COUNTING
THE MILES
The junction between Woodlands and
Choa Chu Kang Road is where the
mall Junction 10 is located today.
It was formerly known as Ten Mile
Junction. A station on the Bukit
Panjang LRT Line is named after it.
To get to Seletar Airbase,
people would have given the
address as Yio Chu Kang
Milestone 9.
Woodlands
Cable Hut
Kranji 15
16 15
16
18
15
17
12
11
Nee Soon
10
Yio Chu Kang
8 12
10
9
11
Reformatory School
9
9
8 8
Pasir Panjang
7
10
6
6
76
5 4
4
3
Wayang
5
5
Holland
4
6
Buona Vista
5
5
3
3
4
4
2
1
2
1
1
2
3
2 2 2
2
2
3
3
Satu
6
7
Kallang
Reservoir
7
6
5
Changi
14
8
7
6
5
6
Bukit
Timah
People would have accessed
the Matilda House through
Punggol 9¼ milestone.
10
11
8
9
11
6
8
8
Tg.
Punggol
9
10
7
9
10
Seletar
Airbase
11
Kg. S.
Pus
Kg. K.
13 Seletar
10
11
12
14
12
11
12
9
10
To get to the Singapore
Botanic Gardens,
people would have
directed drivers or
rickshaw pullers to
the 3rd milestone in
Napier Road.
13
Bukit Panjang
13
13
Seletar
11
14
15
12
14
12
13
Huat 14
Choe
16
13
Mandai
Seletar Pier
20
14
15
14
14
15
Choa Chu Kang
18
17
16 16
19
The 14½ milestone
in Jurong Road is
18
where the former
Nanyang University
17
archway stands.
The area was also
16
home to kilns and
brickworks.
19
Johor Baru
Serangoon
7
9
8
11
10
Paya Lebar
Wireless Station
6
5
4
4
3
53
4
6
12 13
Yan Kit
Paya Lebar
6
4 5
13
7
9
8
10
12
12
11
12
Bedok
4
Tanjong Rhu
5
5
6
7
8
9
Tg. Katong
1
Victoria Dock
Jardines
Wharf
All roads led to the
General Post Office.
Last year, a heritage enthusiast discovered what
is likely to have been the last standing milestone
in Singapore between Geylang Lorong 6 and 8.
ST GRAPHICS TEXT: MELODY ZACCHEUS, MOK LY YNG, NATIONAL HERITAGE BOARD SOURCE: NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF SINGAPORE PHOTOS: AKAI CHEW, NEW NATION