Two roads and a roundabout in the Kuching City to be upgraded, an underpass to be built at the roundabout
Manyin briefs Adenan on the proposed upgrading of Jalan Datuk Stephen Yong to Jalan Batu Kawa into a dual carriageway.
KUCHING: The state government has set aside more than RM100 million to upgrade two roads, build an underpass, and upgrade a roundabout to ease traffic snarls in the city.
This initiative involves (1) upgrading Jalan Datuk Stephen Yong Link-Jalan Batu Kawa from the current single-carriageway into a dual-carriageway, (2) build an underpass at Datuk Temenggong Abang Kipali Bin Abang Akip Roundabout, besides upgrading the roundabout, and (3) upgrade Kubah Ria Road from Semarak traffic light junction up to the E-Mart roundabout.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem said the allocation of more than RM100 mil lion was from the state’s coffer.
“Since we can come out with more than RM100 million, we will request the federal government to increase allocations for us to build more roads in the state,” he said when launching the proposed Jalan Datuk Stephen Yong Link-Jalan Batu Kawa road upgrading project at Kuching City Mall here yesterday.
Among those present were Minister of Infrastructure Development and Communication Dato Sri Michael Manyin Jawong, State Legislative Assembly Speaker Datuk Amar Mohd Asfia Awang Nassar, assistant ministers of Housing Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah and Datuk Francis Harden Hollis, Assistant Minister of Public Health Datuk Dr Jerip Susil and SUPP president Senator Prof Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian.
Work on this proposed six kilometres Jalan Datuk Stephen Yong Link to Jalan Batu Kawa project involves upgrading the Jalan Batu Kawa/Jalan Datuk Stephen Yong intersection to Mile 4 1/2 Jalan Penrissen intersection into a dual carriageway.
The open tender is tentatively scheduled for the end of next month, and construction is expected to be completed by mid-2017.
Many in said the state government decided to upgrade Jalan Datuk Stephen Yong Link-Jalan Batu Kawa because of traffic jams and safety concerns during peak hours.
Citing statistics from the Public Works Department, he said about 19,000 vehicles currently use this road each day, and traffic volume will increase when the new Jalan Emart, which is currently being built to link Matang to Jalan Batu Kawa via Jalan Stapok, is completed.
“When the road (Jalan Datuk Stephen Yong Link to Jalan Batu Kawa) is upgraded by 2017, I believe there will be no more traffic jams around here.”
The proposed underpass cum upgrading of Datuk Temenggong Abang Kipali Bin Abang Akip Roundabout project, which is expected to start soon, will cost about RM67 million. Out of this, about RM61 million would be for construction, RM4 million for relocation and shifting of utilities, and RM2 million for supervision.
The upgrading of Kubah Ria Road from Semarak traffic light junction right up to the E-Mart Roundabout is estimated to cost RM7.6 million, comprising about RM5.2 million for construction cost, RM2 million for relocation and shifting of utilities, and RM400,000 for supervision.
Meanwhile, Manyin said his Link’ministry had submitted proposals to build three or four flyovers in the city during the 11th Malaysia Plan to replace several roundabouts that was causing traffic snarls.
“A number of roundabouts are causing traffic jams, and the solution probably will be flyovers. We have identified all these flyovers and once they are approved by the federal government, work will start by the end of next year.”