I was back in Penang just last weekend for a Toastmasters function. I arrived around 12 noon and after the second bridge, there was a slight jam in the Bayan Baru area. It must be the half-day working day on Saturday. My function was in town and I was travelling from my brother’s home in Sungai Ara. Right after Jelutong expressway, everything came to a slow crawl. Jam at 630pm? Perhaps everyone is going to town area for dinner?
During the dinner, I was talking to a close friend who asked me how’s KL’s jam. I told her that based on the place where I stay and the time I travel, I have not really felt the impact of the jams. She said, that’s good because in Penang, she could feel the jams everyday. I told her I felt the same and these days every morning, the radio deejay would talk about jams and one of the places would be Penang’s first bridge. Yet, what I understand was also that the Penang second bridge continue to be under-utilised thus far. Why is this so?
Perhaps whatever is being planned in Batu Kawan can be pushed for a faster completion. Then, some of the huge population at this part of the island can move over and relieve the two-lane roads off some of the cars which are increasing like crazy while the road networks remain almost the same. There’s the Penang Transport Masterplan but as at now, even the Project Delivery Partner has not yet been chosen. As for the tunnel and all those additional roads etc, it will only be ready in 2025 or so as per what I read in the newspaper and online. Seriously, I am not sure how long can Penang continue to sustain this growth in the number of cars.
If we look at the number of new projects within say Tanjung Tokong or Paya Terubong, some of us may note the daunting number of units which have been proposed, planned and in the process of construction. I can only hope that the state government does more and faster. Yes, moving some of the huge population growth within the island to mainland is really a very important agenda. Of course, based on the jams currently, it is still nowhere near the typical KL jams in LDP or Federal Highway. However, when the gridlock starts, it would be tough trying to ‘unlock’ it. Cheers.
written on 30 June 2015
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Yeah, there has been many new development in highrise but infrastruture remains not much of changes, no doubt congestion surely be there, furthermore, more car coming to road, it is also another problem, the major concern is the infrastruture and public transport, it has to be improved in order to reduce the congested especially, every morning when i drive with my family, i noticed that most of car with single driver without any passenger, in fact, it is wasteful of resources and operating incompetitive manner from effeciency and productivity point of view, thing can be improved by sharing one car with few friends/colleages if stay from same location, morever, it saves cost, why not, to be honest, we have been pampered too much, some people even with a perception for owning a luxury car is the status of weath or high management, who said, a high management staff or business man has to drive luxury car? what a sad and wrong mindset. In contrast, can’t we bicycle to reduce the pollution? is it something to be ashame of?
Note: It is my own opinion with no offend.
Ang, if only everyone can think like you. FYI, if my office have shower facilities, I would buy a place nearer to office and cycle to office everyday. Currently I live 22km away, I do not think it’s appropriate to cycle. My pledge to myself.
Hi Chialih,
I didn’t mean everyone should cycle to office or any destination neither driving is an issue, my main point is.. the mindset has to be right for utilizing resources appropriately. we should appreciate what we have now instead of taking it for granted, it should not take it as weath status to own a luxury car.
What i want to say is.. we should value our environment more than material mindset. although $ can buy a lot of things, however, we should utilize the resources wisely, unfortunately, majority do not think in that way, i didn’t mean that driving a waste of resources, please don’t get me wrong. Actually, we live in a good country, it is still affordable to own a car easily.
It is just my personal opinion, others may disagree if my comment is not acceptable. : ) my 2cents, Thanks.