KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 3): The Second Penang Bridge has achieved 70% completion and 1.5 months ahead of schedule, said Jambatan Kedua Sdn Bhd (JKSB) in a statement on Dec 30, 2011.

It is confident that work is on the track towards the target opening date of the bridge in November 2013. JKDB is a wholly-owned company of Ministry of Finance Incorporated, and was appointed as the concessionaire for the Second Penang Bridge Project in August 2008.

JKSB said the contract for the construction of the toll plaza has been awarded to S U Citra Bina Sdn Bhd for RM79.8 million. Site possession has been surrendered on Nov 15 while preliminary works has taken place. The construction of the toll plaza is expected to be completed in July 2013.

The toll plaza has been designed to meet the Gold rating of the Malaysian Green Building Index. The Green Building concept is introduced in the design to promote energy efficiency, internal environmental quality and sustainability in planning and management of the toll plaza.

After three years of construction, this project has attained series of significant milestones, said JKSB. Apart from being the longest bridge in Southeast Asia i.e. 16.9 km, it is also the longest bridge in the world that incorporates High Damping Rubber Bearing as an alternative to mechanical pot bearing to provide an effective seismic isolation system.

In October 2011, JKSB has also issued ex-gratia payment amounting to RM 6.685 million to 3,011 fishermen, cockles and aqua breeders as part of the settlement to their complaint on the construction of the Second Penang Bridge affecting their areas.

Meanwhile, the construction of the Batu Maung Interchange and access to the cable-stayed bridge from Batu Maung as well as partial access from Batu Kawan is scheduled to be completed by end of 2012. The pylon for the cable-stayed bridge is also expected to complete in 2012.

SOURCE: The Edge Property