Five flyovers in the offing

Looks good: (from left) Manyin and Taib looking at the map of the 8km dual carriageway from Emart roundabout in Matang, crossing the Sarawak River to Stapok. - ANDRE OLIVEIRO / The Star

KUCHING: The city will have five additional flyovers to be built in high traffic areas to ease congestion.

Infrastructure Development and Communications Minister Datuk Seri Michael Manyin said his ministry had already applied for these projects from the Federal Government and they would most likely be included under the 10th Malaysia Plan (2011-2015) rollout.

“Each of this flyover is estimated to cost around RM70mil but then again, it could be even lower as the one in Jalan Song only costs RM48mil,” he told reporters at the site confirmation event for Petra Jaya’s third link over Sungai Sarawak here yesterday.

He said the first flyover would be built over the Datu Temenggong Abang Kipali Bin Abang Akip roundabout in Petra Jaya and after that at multi-traffic intersections in Jalan Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce (formerly Jalan Keretapi), Jalan Rock, Jalan Batu Lintang/Jalan Mendu and in Stutong.

He said these flyovers were necessary to address the increasing traffic congestion in the city.

On the third link, Manyin said it was likely to be built as a causeway rather than a bridge.

He said this would be inexpensive compared to building a bridge and it would also have added advantages like serving as a barrage to mitigate the water flow according to the wet and dry season.

“Up till today, we have yet to decide whether to build it as a bridge or a causeway. Very likely, the latter. It will cost less and there’ll be lots of benefits.

“The Public Works Department (PWD) and Irrigation and Drainage Department (DID) will do a thorough study on this,” he disclosed.

The third link, he said, had already been approved and would be done through an open tender. It is yet to be confirmed given that the details would need to be outlined first.

Asked whether it would hamper boats, Manyin assured that all this had been thought out as the plans would also include access for them.

He said the state government was confident it could complete this project within the next two years, adding that PWD and DID would meet immediately after the general election to work on the details to start off the projects.

Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud officiated at the event to confirm the site for the RM145mil third link.

The project is to construct a 8km dual carriageway road from Emart roundabout in Matang, crossing Sarawak River to Stapok and linking with Stapok Utama road.

The second phase of the project will connect Stapok Utama with Jalan Batu Kawa, giving the public access to Jalan Stephen Yong and on to Kuching Sentral and Kuching International Airport.

It will also see the construction of a 300m four-lane link across Sungai Sarawak and also two 60m bridges across Sungai Maong as well.

It will serve as an alternative bypass for users to commute between Matang and Batu Kawah area.

Currently, there are two bridges connecting Petra Jaya and the south city namely Tun Abdul Rahman Yakub bridge — more commonly known as Satok bridge — and the Tun Salahuddin toll bridge in Pending.-thestar online