SINGAPORE: A Redditor has impressed thousands with a meticulously designed expressway exit chart that looks strikingly like an MRT system map—complete with colour-coded “lines”, interchange-style junctions, and neatly labelled “stations” representing every expressway exit.
Posted on r/singapore by user ajlee2006, the creation, which has been upvoted over 2,100 times as of writing, quickly drew admiration for its precision, creativity and almost uncanny resemblance to SMRT’s rail schematic.
I made a map of expressway exits in the style of the MRT map
byu/ajlee2006 insingapore
The creator shared that the idea had “been in my head for some time”, but only recently did they sit down to research, sketch and finally produce the map digitally. They shared that they used Inkscape to build the design, relying on a triangular grid so that all lines could run at clean 60-degree angles instead of the more common 45 degrees seen on many transport maps.
They explained: “Every ‘station’ is an interchange or exit of the expressway. For the station names, I referenced each expressway’s Wikipedia page for exits, and used OneMap to verify the exit flyover names. If there wasn’t one, I used a major road name instead.”
Even the “station codes” weren’t random because each one corresponds directly to the numbered exit at that location. For example, Thomson Flyover is coded 17D because that’s the real PIE Exit 17D.
To reflect actual road structure, the map also shows directional tick marks. Roads that only feed into the expressway in one direction—like Senja Road, which only connects southbound onto the KJE—are displayed with a tick positioned appropriately.
Netizens react with excitement, curiosity and humour
The post quickly drew enthusiastic responses from users who were surprised by how cohesive and loop-like the road network appears when mapped visually. One user remarked that they liked how the expressways “form a loop with each other, with the only open ends being Changi, Tuas and Woodlands.” It’s a lighthearted observation, but it highlights how the design brings out structural characteristics of the network that most drivers don’t consciously notice.
Another user simply wrote, “wow love this! actually pretty cool to see visualised”, expressing the kind of delight usually reserved for transit maps or infographics rather than expressways. It reflects how effective visualisation can change the way people relate to something as mundane as road exits.
Someone else commented that the map was so well-executed it looked “identical to an SMRT map”, adding that they planned to save it and even thought it could be printed and sold by the original poster. That response speaks to both the aesthetic quality of the design and the unexpected marketability of well-crafted niche diagrams—especially among Singaporeans who love order, maps and classification.
Several users praised the careful craftsmanship. One pointed out that the direction of the tick marks showed “high attention to detail”, noting also that the use of 60° angles was “refreshing”. This kind of appreciation shows how these commenters noticed that the diagram isn’t just visually pleasing, but also methodically created.
Another Redditor shared, “Well done OP, this is really creative and interesting!” This comment captures the overall spirit of the thread: admiration for the creativity behind transforming road infrastructure into an engaging visual story.
Of course, since we’re talking about Singapore Reddit, not all reactions were purely serious. One cheekier commenter joked, “This is awesome. LTA should be ashamed lol.” While clearly tongue-in-cheek, it reflects a sentiment that the public often wishes for more intuitive, user-friendly designs in official materials—and recognises the OP’s effort as something that could genuinely rival an institutional graphic.
Whether for navigation geeks, design enthusiasts or casual commuters, the expressway chart shows that even the most ordinary infrastructures can become fascinating when reimagined with precision, artistry and a bit of flair.
Read also: East–West Line services between Bedok and Tampines to resume on Dec 8 — one day earlier than planned
