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Excitement in the air as second Penang Bridge hits three-quarter mark

GEORGE TOWN: Excitement is clearly growing with the state’s second Penang Bridge having passed its three-quarter completion mark.

Workers on the ground are beginning to have a sense of an ending now that the bridge is taking shape literally.

Jambatan Kedua Sdn Bhd construction director Hamizol Ngah said progress on the island’s second link had been tremendous over the last two and half years.

“As at April 26, the bridge was 76.22% completed. It is great to be able to say that the bridge is (1.2%) ahead of schedule and in another 15 months, there will be traffic on it,” he said at the China Harbour Engineering Co Ltd (M) Sdn Bhd (CHEC) office in Batu Maung here recently.

The bridge, scheduled for completion by Sept 8 next year after work began in 2008, is set to be the longest in South-East Asia.

Hamizol said although working on the bridge had posed several personal challenges, the end result was worth it.

“I cannot swim. I’m afraid of heights and get seasick, but at work, I put on my fierce face. When you have to deal with things, you will,” said the retired Public Works Department senior assistant director.

He said he felt a great satisfaction from having worked on a project that would benefit the public on a daily basis, citing experiences of spotting schools of dolphins and being stuck on pier platforms during rough weather as the highlights.

Teng Jit Poh, a CHEC construction manager, said the bridge’s Package One was 93.8% completed, about 4.35% ahead of schedule.

“With the structures up, you can basically see the whole alignment of the second bridge from the first,” he said before giving The Star the first close-up look at the link’s main navigation span.

Teng, who is from Sungai Bakap, said that although working on the second bridge was challenging, it was also satisfying.

“Compared to building a bridge on land, you are fighting both time and tide here. The time window is very tight and you only have two to four hours of low tide to complete everything you need to do,” he said.

“It’s great to be involved with one of Penang’s mega projects more so as a Penangite.”

Source: The Star

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  1. wbk
    wbk
    May 9th, 2012 at 13:57 | #1

    The second bridge looks nicer than the first one due to its shape.

  2. Jerry2
    May 9th, 2012 at 14:03 | #2

    But it is too far from Georgetown.
    10km from Simpang Ampat +
    22km from the new bridge +
    10km from BatuMaung to Georgetown +
    5km to Gurney Drive
    Total = 47km or 94km include return trip …….. too far to buy house in Simpang Ampat.

  3. wbk
    wbk
    May 9th, 2012 at 14:22 | #3

    Georgetown people won’t use this new bridge one lar, unless want to see the scenery when driving down to Ipoh/KL. It is more for Bayan Lepas factory workers who stay at Tambun, Batu Kawan area lar. Or for poeple who work in Penang Science Park but want to live in island.

  4. Ah Win
    May 9th, 2012 at 15:30 | #4

    @Jerry2

    We do not know what you want to express .

  5. Ah Dog
    May 9th, 2012 at 15:55 | #5

    In fact, this bridge is nice to have for mitigate the jam on 1st bridge a little bit, else, it is a crap as it is too long, build long long, eat more more. I would think the undersea tunnel is a must and will be efficient than this one.

  6. Ah Dog
    May 9th, 2012 at 15:56 | #6

    Oh, beside that, it is ideal for Marathon, so next time, the Penang bridge international marathon can do here.

  7. Uncle Ho
    May 9th, 2012 at 16:25 | #7

    Wah lau.. Jerry2 everyday go Gurney Drive eat wind wash eye is it? Ha ha..

    The 2nd bridge is really essential to divide the traffic that’s on the current bridge. It will also open up options for people to buy and stay at southern seberang perai like Simpang Ampat or even Jawi.

  8. penang
    May 9th, 2012 at 22:29 | #8

    the purpose for the 2nd bridge is to ease the traffic congestion on the current one. so that not all the user’s just came to one point.

    i also agree for the undersea tunnel. the northern area do not have to travel all the way to southern and it can save the travelling time.

    with more alternative link, i’m sure it can boost up the economy between island & mainland.

    win win situation for the people’s

  9. Na Keat
    May 9th, 2012 at 22:39 | #9

    Hope the Penang Administration can turn the undersea tunnel into reality, it is every Penangites dream for both island and mainland.

  10. prop guy
    May 9th, 2012 at 22:46 | #10

    why undersea? just build another bridge on northern penang can boh?

  11. K2
    May 10th, 2012 at 02:19 | #11

    @prop guy
    Agree! Why not jz another bridge for north Penang since undersea tunnel will cost more.

  12. Uncle Ho
    May 10th, 2012 at 07:13 | #12

    I think… a half undersea-half bridge tunnel is needed because there are cargo / cruise ships that need to dock at the NBCT & Port Swettenham and some of them are freaking tall.

    Unless Encik Lim builds the bridge high enough for these ships to pass under… then an undersea bridge is needed.

  13. KJ
    May 10th, 2012 at 07:52 | #13

    Penang need 3 links? Why not 5?

  14. Pen
    May 10th, 2012 at 08:41 | #14

    If to build another bridge which will need Putrajaya approval, if to build a tunnel, only MPPP & state government approval is needed.

    Build a bridge will be slightly cheaper, but we will have to look at who will be the ruler of Putrajaya. Or PR will have to beg for it.

  15. Strange1my
    May 10th, 2012 at 21:26 | #15

    A LRT/MRT rail across the bridge ? Nice or not?

  16. KJ
    May 11th, 2012 at 07:47 | #16

    @Strange1my
    Yes. i already told in future maybe there are 5 bridges. BN and PR will alternate build a bridge.

  17. mm
    May 11th, 2012 at 09:50 | #17

    Ah Dog,

    I like your sentence of “Build long long, eat more more” haha…funny

    I also personally feel that is too long. Only southern Seberang Perai ppls will use it.
    Those BM,Perai, Butterworth ppls(which hold the majority population in SP) still will use the 1st bridge. So, the 2nd bridge will ease only a little bit of traffic.

  18. K2
    May 29th, 2012 at 04:25 | #18

    Mm

    Do you think only Penangite know to use Penang bridge? Hw about ppl frm Kl,mlaka,joho n etc. Thy go to island by boat uh? Btw,2nd link purpose is also built to boost the development n economy in south Penang bside to ease the traffic.

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