Reducing traffic blues

PLANNING for Phase Two of the road upgrading project on the island by the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) is expected to start next year.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said that RM30mil would be allocated for the projects aimed at alleviating traffic congestion on the island.

“Since the six packages under Phase One worth RM28mil are scheduled to be completed by 2013, the planning for the next phase will start following the end of the first phase,” said Lim who marked the completion of the Jalan Gottlieb and Jalan Bagan Jermal road upgrading project with a brief ceremony at the site yesterday.

The upgrading of Jalan Gottlieb and Jalan Bagan Jermal involves expanding the road to five lanes, thereby increasing the road capacity.

The project, which is worth RM3.5mil, commenced in November 2011 and was completed in July.

“Besides that, the walkways were upgraded and a bicycle lane added,” said Lim.

The first package to be completed was in July 2011. It involved the upgrading of the Lorong Batu Lancang and Lebuhraya Thean Tek intersection.

Smoother flow: Jalan Gottlieb after the upgrade

The RM300,000 upgrade was completed in three months and it provides a free-flow left-turn for northbound traffic on Lorong Batu Lancang towards Lebuhraya Thean Tek.

The second package involved the upgrading of the state mosque interchange to provide additional lanes, plus more right-turn lanes into Jalan Air Itam.

The RM1.2mil upgrade which commenced last August was finished in January this year.

Of the three remaining packages, only the upgrade of a part of Jalan Masjid Negeri from Jalan Delima to the Udini Roundabout had begun in April and is expected to be completed in 18 months.

It involves the upgrading of the Udini Roundabout to provide free-flow U-turn for northbound traffic.

The other two packages which are scheduled to start in September and November respectively are the road widening works at Jalan Air Itam and upgrading of Lorong Batu Lanchang from Lebuhraya Thean Tek to Jalan Masjid Negeri.

Both the projects amount to RM8.5mil.

Also present at the ceremony yesterday was MPPP president Datuk Patahiyah Ismail. - The Star