IN its effort to build a more people-friendly city, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has enhanced walkability of a 1km stretch between the iconic Kuala Lumpur Railway Station and heritage area which includes Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad and Dataran Merdeka.
According to a DBKL social media post, two main features – raised pedestrian crossings and tactile pavements – were introduced on roads like Jalan Perdana and Jalan Cenderasari, covering landmarks such as Masjid Negara and Federal Territories Land and Mines Office.
DBKL said raised pedestrian crossings could establish better connections between the streets, while tactile pavements would help visually impaired folk navigate the streets.
“Bollards were also installed at crossings as extra protection for pedestrians,” it added.
DBKL said the initiative, in collaboration with Global Designing Cities Initiative, would improve the last-mile connectivity of public transport in the area.
“Commuters can continue walking to the city centre after disembarking from public transport in an easier, safer and more comfortable manner.
“Pedestrian-friendly infrastructure can also encourage motorists to slow down at crossings so that the pedestrians are safer,” it added.
When StarMetro took a walk around the area, we found that DBKL has introduced a red wayfinding pavement in front of Masjid Negara.
Safer Streets and Sustainable Transport Coalition spokesperson Solahuddeen Hibatur Rahman lauded the initiative.
He said raised pedestrian crossings offered ease to people with strollers and wheelchair users when crossing roads, while the bollards were a barrier to protect the pedestrian area from vehicle encroachment.
“However, bollards alone may not be enough to stop motorcyclists from getting on walkways,” he said.
“Stronger enforcement and a long-term effort to foster civic-mindedness are needed to discourage such behaviour.
“In terms of enforcement, the gap in the existing legal framework needs to be sorted out to empower the relevant authorities to take action on errant motorcyclists.”
Former Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif said while DBKL could act against the misuse of pedestrian walkways, enforcement by the police and Road Transport Department was needed to curb the problem, as reported in StarMetro’s June 24 report last year titled “Doing away with outdoor dining”.
Content director and regular cyclist Patrick Lee commended the initiative as well.
“Anything good for pedestrians is also good for cyclists, because it means that the authorities managing them are thinking of better ways to make the city safe and accessible for non-car users.
“It would also be good if the authorities can include sections for cycling infrastructure such as bicycle parking, racks, lanes and trails into city planning guidelines.
“I would also like to see more engagement with different cycling groups when it comes to city planning and infrastructure development,” he added.
