KUCHING: The construction of the Northern Coastal Highway in Sarawak will prioritise environmental and social sustainability in its design and construction, says the head of its implementing agency.
Regional Corridor Development Authority (Recoda) chief executive officer Datuk Ismawi Ismuni said the 88km highway would connect Limbang and Lawas to the Pan Borneo Highway in Sarawak as well as Sabah and Brunei.
In the Limbang section, he said a viaduct would be built to protect Bukit Mas, a local landmark.
"We do not want to cut the hill at Bukit Mas. There are also settlements along the foothills.
"Do you want to resettle people just to build the highway? I don't think that is wise.
"So what we do here is design a viaduct, which is friendly to the environment and will benefit the community," he said.
Ismawi was giving a presentation on "Sustainable Development Through Green Infrastructure" at the International Digital Economy Conference Sarawak (IDECS) here on Thursday (Oct 17).
He said the viaduct would be an iconic structure with scenic views of neighbouring Brunei and motorists would be able to stop at certain stretches to take photos.
Other key considerations, he added, included local sourcing of materials, durability and longevity.
"We want to make sure it is designed to last for a long period of time and is friendly for maintenance and operations," he said.
In terms of social sustainability, Ismawi said there would be early intervention with the local community to ensure minimal impact from the highway construction.
For example, he said, certain stretches of the highway would be located near a school in Lawas.
"We have to engage the school and local community to reduce traffic congestion and introduce smart traffic management," he said.
