GEORGE TOWN: With a "Park and Ride" facility to encourage people to use the Light Rail Transit (LRT) when it is built, there will be a total of 1,100 parking lots available at nine stations in the state.
State transport, infrastructure and digital committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said that in all, there will be 20 LRT stations on the island and one station in Penang Sentral for the planned Penang LRT project.
"The Mutiara Line LRT project, to be developed by MRT Corporation, will connect passengers to Seberang Perai from the Bayan Lepas to Komtar line.
“All of the planned stations will be elevated and the proposed alignment for the Mutiara Line will start from Silicon Island and head north to several stations, namely, Permatang Damar Laut, Penang International Airport, Sungai Tiram, the South Free Industrial Zone, Free Industrial Zone, Jalan Tengah, SPICE, Bukit Jambul, Sungai Nibong, Sungai Dua, Batu Uban, Jalan Universiti, Gelugor, Penang Waterfront, East Jelutong, Sungai Pinang, Bandar Sri Pinang, Macallum Street and Komtar,” he said.
He said the line will then connect to Penang Sentral in Seberang Perai across the bridge from Macallum Street station.
He was responding to an oral question by Heng Lee Lee (PH - Berapit) at the state legislative assembly here on Monday (Nov 25).
Heng had asked how many LRT stations will be built in Penang and how many parking lots will be available at the stations.
Zairil said nine of the 21 stations will have the "Park and Ride" facilities.
He said the stations that will have parking lots available are Permatang Damar Laut, Jalan Tengah, Bukit Jambul, Sungai Dua, Jalan Universiti, Gelugor, Sungai Pinang, Bandar Sri Pinang and Penang Sentral.
When Heng then asked if there is expected traffic woes during the construction of the LRT, Zairil said there is an understanding that there will be congestion but there is a plan for traffic management.
"The road authorities and parties involved will look into the mitigation works.
"A lot of the construction is elevated.
"It is an elevated system so it will not take up much space and we will try not to close any lanes during construction.
"We will try to make sure there are two functioning lanes but we do understand there will be some hindrances," he said.
