The construction of the NEL station was one of the most challenging projects on the line. Arterial roads like New Bridge Road, Eu Tong Sen Street and connecting streets had to be rerouted, closed and reinstated several times. These closures look place through seven major phases and numerous sub-stages from December 1997 to March 2002. The bus stops had to be shifted accordingly as well. The rerouted roads and the construction barriers erected had impacted the foot traffic of the area. In addition, any businesses in the area were affected by the noise and construction dust. 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 that the pedestrians could walk over the entrance work site.