Public asked to give feedback on transport master plan for state

 

3 options to ease traffic congestion in Penang

17 March 2012 | Last updated at 09:05AM

By LOOI SUE-CHERN | news@nst.com.my

SCRUTINY: Public asked to give feedback on transport master plan for state

GEORGE TOWN: THE final draft of Penang's integrated transport master plan is ready and will soon be presented to the public for viewing and consultation.

State Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said the draft was presented to the state executive council last week and to the Penang Transport Council on Thursday by consultant firm AJC Planning Consultants Sdn Bhd.

Non-government organisations have also seen the draft earlier in July and November last year.

"The final draft will next be presented to the Penang Island and Seberang Prai Municipal Councils for fine-tuning soon.

"We expect to hold public exhibitions or road shows in several locations on the island and the mainland in the middle of next month with the consultant to show the people the master plan and get feedback," he told the New Straits Times yesterday.

Chow said the plan was expected to be completed in May.

The master plan will present three options -- highway-based, public transportation, and policy intervention -- to overcome Penang's worsening traffic congestion.

He said it would be up to the state and the people to make the final decision on which options to choose.

"It could even be a combination of the three options. Each option comes with different levels of implementation that will bring varying levels of impact.

"Our decision will be based on the state's financial ability to invest in them and the feasibility of the options. At this stage, public feedback will be most important."

The absence of the state's integrated transport master plan was recently raised by the Consumers Association of Penang when the NGO posed questions to the state government over its plans to build four mega infrastructure projects.

The multi-billion ringgit projects are the 6.5km Gurney Drive-Bagan Ajam undersea tunnel, the 4.2km Gurney Drive-Lebuhraya Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu bypass, the 4.6km Lebuhraya Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu-Bandar Baru Air Itam bypass, and a 12km road connecting Tanjung Bungah and Teluk Bahang.

It was previously reported that the master plan would also study the feasibility of the proposals for two RM4 billion road projects, especially the 4.2km inner ring road connecting Persiaran Gurney to Lebuhraya Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu.

Chow confirmed that the four proposed projects were incorporated in the master plan by AJC.

It was reported that AJC won the award to conduct the RM3.2 million study for the master plan. The consultant firm is a partnership between international engineering consultancy group Halcrow, Singapore Cruise Centre and AJC..

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