GEORGE TOWN, Oct 2 — Major traffic diversion along the busy main roads in Bayan Lepas will start early next year to make way for the Penang LRT Mutiara line construction works.
SRS Consortium project director Adil Putra Ahmad said preparatory works for the construction of the LRT line is now underway.
“We are expecting to start major traffic diversion and rerouting traffic along Japan Sultan Azlan Shah sometime mid-January next year,” he said during a town hall session on the LRT project with industries in the Free Industrial Zone organised by InvestPenang at PSDC here today.
He said the traffic diversion will start at the junction from Kampung Jawa to the junction of Mayang Pasir.
He said this meant that the three-lane road will be reduced to two lanes for both the route heading to the airport and the route heading towards George Town.
The traffic diversion is to allow for the construction of the viaduct for the LRT track along the length of the road that covers more than one kilometer.
Construction works along that area will take about 38 months in total and is expected to complete in December 2028.
He said there will be three main areas of focus for traffic management during construction of the LRT, namely Komtar, Sunny Point and the FIZ.
Earlier in his speech, state infrastructure, transport and digital committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari admitted that large infrastructure works such as this come with many challenges.
“I’m not going to sugarcoat it. Obviously, traffic will be bad during construction, just like it is in KL during construction,” he said.
He said the government will try to be as transparent as possible in terms of engagement and information.
“This is so that you can also better plan your routes, better plan your timing in order to mitigate and minimise the disruptions that you will encounter,” he said.
He gave reassurances that they are working on the most comprehensive traffic and logistics management plans.
“So continuous engagement sessions are necessary,” he said.
He added that the contractor will also be operating under strict protocols especially on safety.
“I think that’s something that cannot be compromised, especially during the monsoon season,” he said.
He also said the alignment for the LRT is the best that they can do that is realistic and practical.
He said there are two LRT stations at the FIZ, one at the Penang International Airport, one at Universiti Sains Malaysia as well as for the convention centres, Spice and the soon to open, Penang Waterfront Convention Centre.
“The alignment also passes along residential corridors in Jelutong, Sungai Pinang and Macallum Street,” he said.
He said the biggest impact would be the channel crossing where the line will connect the island to the mainland at Penang Sentral.
“It will connect to the national railway network so those who live in Sungai Petani, or in Padang Besar, or Alor Setar, or anywhere else, they can take a commuter train to Penang Sentral, get off, hop on to the LRT, and then can go to the airport, Bayan Lepas, Komtar, USM, or anywhere else on the island,” he said.
He said the Mutiara line will be a game-changer.
Zairil said they envision a daily ridership of around 70,000 to begin with.
“Hopefully, we will reach 100,000 and more as people get used to it,” he said.
He also said it will significantly reduce congestion, especially along the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway and the surrounding arterial roads.
