THIS WILL HAVE TO GO: The roundabout next to Guong Ann Kindergarten will be replaced with a traffic light. Pointing to the signage is Wong, while (from left) Hii, King Wei, Lau and Thai King look on.
SIBU: Another traffic light will be put up at the junction of Brooke Drive and the road leading to Sungei Merah and Deshon Road.
Speaking to reporters at the site on Monday evening, Minister of Local Government and Community Development Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh said the project costing RM1 million would replace the current round about.
It is a joint project of Sibu Municipal Council and Public Works Department after a comprehensive study of the town’s traffic flow.
“The traffic light system is necessary to ease the heavy traffic volume in the area which is aggravated by the presence of a school in the vicinity.”
Wong said property development in the area was also booming and one of roads passing through the area is one going to the airport and to Tanjung Manis.
“A survey shows that traffic congestion is most serious during the rush hours – from 11am to 1pm and from 5pm to 6pm.”
He said works (on the traffic light) would begin on Sept 3 and would finish in two months.
Wong also said that a 2.6km stretch of Teku Road (from the roundabout at Laila Taib College to the next roundabout) would be raised and tar-sealed.
Wong and entourage also visited Tien Tao Church in Sungei Merah on request from the church members for the road leading to the church to be improved.
The (church) members complained that the road was too narrow and wanted it tar-sealed and that the authority provided them with ample space near the church for parking lots.
Wong told them that he would look into their request.
Among those in the entourage were Temenggong Vincent Lau, chairman of Sibu Municipal Council Datuk Tiong Thai King, council secretary Hii Chang Kee and PWD divisional engineer Tiong King Wei.