8-lane highway planned for Gurney Drive
An eight-lane highway is planned for Gurney Drive following the completion of reclamation works there which will help disperse traffic created from the Seri Tanjung Pinang 2 (STP2) project at Tanjung Tokong.
Penang Public Works, Utilities and Transportation Committee chairman Lim Hock Seng (pix) said the highway was still in the conceptual stage and will be situated on the portion of the reclaimed land.
He said the highway will serve to alleviate traffic congestion by being connected to the proposed Tanjung Bungah to Teluk Bahang paired road as well as the Gurney Drive to the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu bypass.
He said the cost was estimated between RM300million to RM400million and was “to be borne by the state at this point in time” but that discussions on financing were still ongoing.
“This will benefit the state,” he said when asked about the social and political cost of the proposed project at an ad-hoc press conference today after he wound up the debate on the Supply Bill 2017 at the Penang Legislature.
The reclamation at Gurney Drive is undertaken by developer E&O under Phase 2A of the STP2 project at a cost of RM1.07billion with the 24.28ha reclamation of the Gurney shorefront expected to be completed by mid-2018.
Other than the highway, a seafront promenade – Gurney Wharf – with seafront retail and food and beverage (F&B) elements, is also being planned.
Lim dismissed allegations the reclaimed area will be used for high-rise projects as feared by critics of the project.
“The reclaimed portion will only be for the the eight-lane highway and recreational use (Gurney Wharf and the beach created after reclamation),” he added.
On the ferry service being upgraded by using catamaran vessels, Lim said this was proposed by Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) which is the ferry operator.
He said the upgrade can help in minimising the annual RM25million loss experienced by PPSB as the new vessels need fewer crew to operate, required less fuel and less maintenance.
“The state however wants the operator to retain two of the existing ferries for tourism purposes,” he said noting the current vessels were icons for Penang.
On the proposed Skycab project, a cable car project spanning the Penang Channel, Lim said Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad (MRCB) has obtained the
Detailed Environment Impact Assessment (DEIA) approval from the Department of Environment (DOE).
He said the project was now in the design stages and that he understood work was expected to start in 2018.
Read source: TheSunDaily.my
Please don’t spoil my lovely Gurney Drive.
Wah! very nice! it will be a new icon for penang.
Please disclose the toll rate.
Please don’t spoil my lovely muddy beach.
There are just too many proposals but never see the light of the day ? Keep talking baby !
For those saying don’t spoil my lovely Gurney Drive, please do not drive your car out and causing congestion to the road, if you all are driving out without using public transport, just let the gomen to expand the road
I remember Gurney Drive when I was young. It was the only cement road in Penang. Catch worms for fishing catfish from the breakwaters as the tide came in. Used to walk out when low-tide in the mud to catch giant “siput” by the bags. The stinking big monsoon drain from Cantonment road that discharges into the sea. That was before they joined up the road with Bagan Jeramal and lately reclaimed the sandbanks of Tanjong Tokong and built Tanjong Pinang. That caused the beach to really silt-up and the conditions of today. Well hope with this they can do what Singapore did to their seaside.