the area were affected by the noise and construction dust, leading to tarnished goods and a decrease in patronage. The contractors made efforts to minimise these effects, such as using quieter machinery and cleaning the vehicles exiting the worksite. During the Lunar New Year in 2001, a temporary bridge was constructed to connect the two sides of Pagoda Street so pedestrians could walk over the entrance work site. Following engagements with the local community, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) implemented measures such as shifting worksite hoarding aside to maximise walking space, working with artists to paint the worksite panels, minimising the worksite space at Pagoda Street and renovating the Garden Bridge to allow its integration with the station. A temporary taxi stand was installed at Upper Cross Street to serve the retail development of Chinatown Point. The LTA also built a temporary pedestrian staircase from the shops along New Bridge Road to the Garden Bridge. Prior to the construction, the utilities at the site had to be diverted at a cost of S$7 million (US$ million in ) so the utilities were not damaged during the station's construction. The utilities had to be protected or substituted during the manoeuvre, and took some time due to the poor documentation of the location of the old pipes and cables. The Eu Tong Sen Canal running through the station site had to be dismantled and diverted into four steel pipes to connect the unaffected parts of the canal. It was planned to use steel beams to support the canal during ground excavation and the station's construction, but this would risk damaging the canal, causing the site to flood. The more time-consuming and expensive alternative to divert the canal into the diameter pipes would minimise such risks and allow sufficient space for the construction machinery. The LTA engineers decided to implement this alternative, which became one of the largest drainage diversion projects in Singapore. The pipes were suspended below the temporary road decking. After the station's construction, the canal, now wider and deeper, was rebuilt above the station. The construction also involved the preservation of Garden Bridge as it is a social and cultural landmark in Chinatown. Initially, there were plans to dismantle the bridge due to the columns and foundations being in the way of MRT works, but the LTA reversed its decision and decided to underpin the bridge using massive steel trusses.