TOPPING-UP CEREMONY: Lee (third left), accompanied by Goh (second left), assists workers in pouring cement on a portion of the bridge.
MIRI: The proposed RM9 million Piasau Bridge over Sungai Miri is scheduled to be completed on time before the forthcoming Chinese New Year, thus solving decades-old traffic congestion problems.
The new bridge is constructed alongside the existing bridge to enable a smooth two-way traffic and alleviate congestion at the river crossing.
The river crossing at the site is currently being served by a single-lane steel bailey bridge. Traffic is controlled at both ends of the bridge with traffic lights to allow two-way traffic.
Prior to this, the bridge was mainly for the use of Shell staff and those living in Piasau Camp, Kampung Pulau Melayu, as well as those going to the Miri Golf Club and Lutong.
Assistant Minister for Communications Datuk Lee Kim Shin, who visited the project yesterday, said the project was more than 90 per cent completed.
“Once completed, the bailey bridge will be closed for other vehicles, except for motorcycles and bicycles, so as to keep down the cost of maintaining by Sarawak Shell. It will be kept as one of our heritage,” Lee told reporters after performing the topping-up ceremony for the bridge and associated work at Piasau yesterday.
Among those present yesterday was the Public Works Department (JKR) divisional engineer Goh Soon Boon.
The 146-metre bridge will have a six-metre wide deck for dual lane traffic, a 1.25-metre wide footpath, and navigational clearance of 16 metres for river traffic at the centre span.
Lee said the project was crucial with the increase in population and housing development in the area.
The road works included the construction of a 300-metre bridge approach along Jalan Piasau, and the construction of a dual lane carriageway to connect the new bridge at both ends.
Other project includes widening and resurfacing of the existing road and improving the existing T-junctions at Jalan Piasau to Jalan Pantai-Peninsula with a traffic signal system.