Road barriers have been installed at two accident hotspots in Rawang, Selangor, to prevent motorists from making illegal crossings.
The flexible posts along with “No U-turn” signboards were installed at junctions in Jalan LKS in Kampung Lee Kim Sai and Jalan Perusahaan in Taman Bersatu.
According to Rawang assemblyman Chua Wei Kiat, these accident hotspots had been a bane for the past 20 years.
These accidents, he said, were preventable and had arisen from the combined act of illegal U-turns and poor driver attitude.
A mechanic, who only wanted to be identified as Ah Hong, said said there had been fatal accidents at the junction of Jalan LKS.
There were deaths in three of the four accidents which happend in front of his workshop last year, he said.
“Usually, I don’t see the crash but I will hear it and when I come out to see, it is always an unpleasant sight,” said Hong.
Kampung Kuala Garing Selatan village head Wan Han Ming, 52, had witnessed such accidents.
“The accidents happen due to cars colliding with motorcyclists who made U-turns from across the road at Jalan RP in Rawang Perdana into the petrol station or Jalan LKS,” said Wan.
Last August, Chua wrote to the Gombak Public Works Department (JKR) district engineer Azura Hanim Sulaiman, highlighting the issue.
His proposal for the installation of flexible posts and signboards was accepted.
Representing Gombak JKR at a press conference was technical assistant Mohd Azmi Saad, who said RM50,000 was spent on the flexible posts which included land blocks, a signboard as well as the repainting of road lines.
The posts were installed last March.
Azmi said flexible posts were a safer option for road users as compared to rigid concrete barriers.
He said in case of impact, the injuries would be less serious in comparison to rigid barriers.
In terms of installation, he said flexible posts were also easier to implement, unlike concrete barriers which required a longer time to build.
Meanwhile, Chua said his office had identified seven other traffic problem spots in Rawang.
One was at SMK Tuanku Abdul Rahman in Batu Arang, where the readjustment of the traffic lights’ timing was made to ease traffic congestion.
Another two accident hotspots were in the commercial area of Anggun City and the road in front of a hypermarket in Rawang town.
Concrete barriers were installed at these locations.
“Of the areas identified, remedies have been found for 80% of them,” said Chua.
Upgrades to the water drainage system was also done next to the flyover in front of Jalan Batu 18 to prevent flash floods, said Roadcare (M) Sdn Bhd Gombak area site supervisor Hanazaida Abd Hamid.
Located off Jalan Rawang, the commercial area at Jalan Batu 18 is the location of a supermarket, bakery, and frozen food supplier.
A 100m-long drain, about 400mm wide, was built under the road and shaped like a “U”, tapering off at Jalan Batu 18.
Hanazaida said the cost of the drainage project was RM50,000.
