MOTORISTS from Petaling Jaya wanting to use Damansara Link on SPRINT Highway to head towards Kuala Lumpur will have to wait longer as works will only be completed by December.
The prolonged closure of the interchange leading to Jalan Maarof since last October is worsening traffic congestion.
In a statement to StarMetro, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) said the part of Damansara Link that is closed to traffic is expected to reopen in December.
The road project is to facilitate the construction of a 1.34km three-lane flyover to Jalan Semantan.
A City Hall spokesperson said the road project was extended due to several factors, including bad weather and delay in the shipment of materials. The spokesperson advised motorists to use alternative routes in the meantime.
The closure was announced on Oct 28 last year.
The road project was initially slated for completion by the end of this month.
Since the closure, Damansara Link (from Petaling Jaya and Jalan Bukit Kiara) to Jalan Maarof and Jalan Johar has been lined with traffic barriers, especially near the construction area.
Petaling Jaya resident Calyn Ng, 42, has to take a long detour to get to work in Bukit Bintang.
“I used to be able to take the interchange and head towards Jalan Semantan but nowadays, I have to drive through Bangsar,” she said.
Ng said there had been an increase in traffic in Bangsar now that more motorists were using the route.
Bukit Damansara Residents Association president Datuk Sufian Majid urged relevant parties to expedite the project.
“There must be a clear deadline to prevent further delays,” he said.
He also highlighted that parts of the construction zone were poorly lit at night, with some traffic barriers placed haphazardly.
“This is a safety concern,” he said.
Sufian added that nets should be placed to catch possible falling debris from the construction site.
