Second Penang bridge ready for use
Heavy load: Trailer trucks ferrying concrete boulders along the 240m stretch of the main span of the cable-stayed bridge during the load test.
The second Penang bridge is now 99% complete and the launching date will be determined by the Federal Government some time next month.
Jambatan Kedua Sdn Bhd (JKSB) managing director Datuk (Ir) Dr Ismail Mohamed Taib said they hoped to wrap things up by Nov 8.
The Batu Maung interchange ramp that collapsed in June was rebuilt earlier this month.
“Motorists will get to enjoy free trips of the bridge for one month after its launch,” Dr Ismail told reporters during a load test at the bridge’s main navigational span yesterday.
The load test was carried out at the 475m cable-stayed bridge, to ascertain the load capacity of the bridge.
“It is important to ensure that the cable-stayed bridge is built according to the design and specifications,” Dr Ismail said.
A total of 17 trailer trucks ferrying concrete boulders weighing 595 tonnes were placed along the 240m stretch at the main span of the cable-stayed bridge.
Dr Ismail said even an earthquake would not affect the bridge.
“It was specially designed to withstand quakes measuring 7.5 and above on the Richter scale.”
Dr Ismail also said the project’s cost, which was earlier stipulated at RM4.5bil, was RM50mil lower and the excess funds had been used for landscaping and decorative lights.
The colour and tempo of the lights could be changed according to the country’s major festivities or celebrations, similar to the Incheon Bridge in South Korea.
The toll rate for the bridge has yet to be determined.
Source: StarProperty.my
Thumbs UP to Penang!! Now the nearby area between both ends of the bridge will have more speedy development!
It will be good racing track for mat rempit especially the road along industrial area at night.. may be Penang gov can consider to organize F1 here like Singapore did.
Last weekend saw the interchange ramp from Batu Kawan across the north-south highway still have a lot work to touch up …..
Good deal!! This did not cost Penangites a single sen to build, no need to sell state land also. How can we get more of this kind of deal?…:)
the excess fund “have been” used. that is the key words.
May I know how much is the toll fares?
Yet to announce. But entitle 20% discount like Pg Bridge.
rumors say is RM12 oh….
wah rm 12.00, if stay at batu kawan travel to batu maung everyday 24km for bridge distance, go and back around 50km, petrol + bridge fee almost rm500 per month ==
rent a room at batu maung only rm250, save time save money ==
u calculate about rumors
Yes the development at both side will start briskly after november
@lalazai
Right! In fact you still need to travel ~5km to reach the bridge entrance in Bt Kawan, make it total 58km travel distance per day. If 1km need total RM0.30 for petrol + maintenance, with 22 working days per month, total transportation cost is about RM380 per month. Bridge toll let’s assume RM5.60 same with current bridge, X 22 days = RM120. So, still need at least RM500 per month if no company subside. If husband and wife cannot car pool, RM1K per month.
And the travel time on the bridge alone, assuming no traffic issue and you follow the limit at 80km/h, at least 36 mins. My average time to travel 6-8km on land during peak hours are 20mins X 2 trip per days. So, estimated total travel time would be at least 1h 15mis.
@Hemsley
Can consider working in Butterworth. I can see more job opportunities there in coming years.
Yes can find work at butterworth or door to door
@KT
Really? If everyone do so, there is no need for the 2nd bridge d. U see the point? I just tried to hilite how this bridge can help the economy/ property growth in Bt Kawan. If Bt Kawan property only supported by the industrial there, the supply is already too much. You can check that many property in that area is bought by the engineers from FIZ, because of the bridge. And the travel cost is the additional expenses that they can’t avoid. If want to work there to stay there, there are many choices, why Bt Kawan?
@Hemsley
Travel cost and time should be part of the consideration when securing job or starting your own business. In time, Bt Kawan will be a self sustainable township where you can work, live, play.
@KT
I actually heard the same thing more than 10 years ago. Hopefully don’t need to wait for another 10 years or more.
@Hemsley
Someone told you Bt Kawan will be self sustainable in 2013? 2025 maybe.
That not the bridge. 99% complete means from Batu Kawan toll to Batu Maung coast. Other than that is exit road. Many exit road are not complete yet especially at Batu Kawan side.
@Aron
So how the bridge can be ready for use if exit road is not ready?
@islander_ori
Only 2 exit road is ready to enter Batu Kawan. First from existing Batu Kawan road and second from Penang 2nd Bridge interchange (exit north-south highway directly to bridge). Waiting for exit road from Bukit Minyak, Juru and Nibong Tebal.
its depend, you always have choice to choose…either stay in island with rent a room or use >400K buy a unit of condo……OR another way is long travel but with stay in a double storey G&G house in near batu kawan/simpang ampat..
some of my frens even travel along from SP to island working, but when reach home, it is big warm house
@tan
If you’re talking about own stay, it is only a matter of preference when it comes to priorities. Some people prefer small trendy apartment, some prefer upscale neighbourhood, some prefer big house in a remote area, but of course, the rich can have it all (trendy + big/small + upscale neighbor)..:)
The success of batu kawan depends heavily on state planning. Federal has done their part by providing the vital 2nd link (without having to sell a single piece of state land), which not only helps to reduce traffic jam on current bridge, but also an alternative access to affordable housing in batu kawan, as well as a backup bridge to the current one during an unforeseen event.
And by the way, a big house is normally cold, unless you have enough furniture/deco to make it cozy….:)
@tan
A place call home, not necessary a big house. The key thing is the family members in the house, and how much time you can spend with them, and when they need you, are you logistically available in short time. When you have family, this is very important.
Hmm…besides those direct cost ie. petrol & toll (some one above est RM500/mth).
Buyer also need to consider the indirect costs, ie CAR MAINTENANCE (engine oil, wear/tear, tyre).
Then the extra time to travel is also a financial loss (opportunity cost) in term of productivity. U may use your daily wage to count. Eg. some FTZ folks is about RM20 per hour. Some babysitter charge extra for late pickup after 7pm.
However indeed Bt Kawan have lots of potential especially for some who DIE DIE want New landed house……but the question now is it worth the value? is it overprice or undervalue?
Still, IMHO this area is better bet than SP or Kulim.
there r pros & cons.
Anyway, i used to like the feeling of driving with nice views daily, gazing into island…..
@condomana
Yes Federal has done their part by only providing the bridge. The road after the toll bridge, access to batu kawan, development of batu kawan and what ever is now under state. Now we wait for State to develop Batu Kawan.
@Aron
I hope they seek help from genuine experts when they do the town planning. They can’t be relying on the current property agency while they are still figuring out how to build a car park….:D
I hope they realized the people’s needs have changed, therefore need to plan and build things that are more relevant to today’s standards. Just imagine if Rapid Penang is still providing the kind of bus service that we used to have 30 years ago (no aircond with top speed 25km/h). They can’t be building the same old affordable housing that they used to do 30 years ago!…:D
We have been lagging in terms of social developments and investments compared to other states in the last few years. We definitely need more than no-plastic-bags and bicycle lanes. If we continue to move this way, the island is surely going to sink very soon…..:D
@condomana
“We have been lagging in terms of social developments and investments ”
List down the specific … If not, kaput …
i’m hoping the traffic can be reduced further after penang 2nd bridge open
@condomana
30 years ago you took rapid penang? Wah… ho liao…
Batu Kawan development very slow and not in line with the construction of the bridge. Since Abad Naluri Development was kicked out from Batu Kawan, most of development plan still not implemented. At this time what u can see at Batu Kawan is just Stadium Batu Kawan and some housing build by PDC.
Would be more jam especially Jelutong xpressway up till The second link at Batu Maung. On the other side, would probably see the properties at simpang empat and batu kawan to goes up another 7-10%.
@Aron
Right! Bt Kawan is about the same compared to ~10 yrs ago when I stay there. With the new bridge, probably will stimulate the growth a bit. We can use Seberang Prai area as benchmark where the 1st bridge connected there about 30 years ago. And this probably the same growth to Bt Kawan after 30 yrs from now. So, don’t think that the 2nd bridge will change Bt Kawan overnight.
@PgState
You are right. Penangites pay a lot of income tax. You are also right that you have to pay toll for the second bridge. Comparatively, if the state goes ahead with the undersea tunnel, we will have to pay for the building of the tunnel by way of selling state land which belongs to Penangites, plus you still have to pay toll, and still pay the same income tax….:) Furthermore, if the traffic is not high enough for the tunnel to sustain maintenance, guess who again will be paying for the maintenance?….:D
So essentially, the idea of a tunnel may sound fresh and fancy, but Penangites will eventually have to pay a lot extra for something that they don’t need…:D
Condom anal don’t be selfish la, tunnel is good for Penang development.
u more selfish. tunnel and 2nd bridge is good for Penang in future. But both may pay toll. U narrow politic mind only think 2nd bridge not good becoz under Federal but tunnel is good becoz under State, that all.
@Byeow
both are important to penang future. 2nd bridge is to steer growth in the south, tunnel is to steer growth in the north. penang got great future.
@John Wu
No lah, not selfish lah. You think the money of selling state land is going into my pocket if not used to build the tunnel?….:D
But the state could surely make better use of the billions, maybe build semi-gov resort-style retirement homes for the aged, maybe add more proper bus stops so that users won’t get wet when it rains (but I think this should be done even without the billions), maybe send some state administrators for ivy-league training on “negotiation skills” so that they know how to negotiate to get free monorail system built (it’s such a waste that we don’t build monorail in Penang as the size of land and population is ideal for such a system) etc…:)
frequent users of 1st bridge will agree the 2nd link is a much delayed project. from now to work on 3rd link is just on right schedule. our neighbor S’pore reclaimed new land 20 yrs ahead for future development. why are we debating on infrastructure planing laid by traffic planning experts and also how many new bridges in the world built with no access toll. think the question should be when the 1st bridge should reduce the toll rate.
@WTF
Planning is good. But we are talking about selling state asset to build it, and sustaining the operation cost at state level, and not optimizing our state resources, and not taking cars off the road, and instead planning to put MORE cars on the road…:) WTF! Thumbs down for that!…:)