Road works ahead: Azmi delivering his briefing on the Penang LRT Mutiara Line Project at the town hall session at the Penang Skills Development Centre. — CHAN BOON KAI/The Star
GEORGE TOWN: Penangites can expect traffic headaches for the next few years, with several major arteries being narrowed or closed for the construction of the Mutiara Line Light Rail Transit (LRT) project.
The project will take six years to complete, with major road diversions and traffic changes to be implemented during construction.
Critical congestion is expected at three major areas – Komtar in the heart of town, Sunny Point junction near Universiti Sains Malaysia in Gelugor and the Free Industrial Zone in Bayan Lepas.
Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah in Bayan Lepas, which sees heavy daily traffic because of the factories there, will be narrowed to four lanes from the current six-lane road.
“Motorists will face diversions at key locations in the area. Traffic lights will be removed and U-turns introduced to improve traffic flow during a 38-month period from this month to December 2028,” SRS Consortium project director Adil Putra Ahmad said.
He added that underground utilities such as water pipes and electrical lines will be mapped and studied before excavation works begin to minimise disruptions.
“Preparatory work for the traffic diversion will start at the end of this month, and we will initiate the re-routing and closure of junctions starting early next year,” he told a town hall session with industry representatives at the Penang Skills Development Corporation (PSDC) yesterday.
MRT Corp project director Azmi Abd Rahman acknowledged that managing traffic during construction would be one of the biggest challenges.
“We have minimal buffer space and limited space for traffic diversion.”
Once completed, the Mutiara LRT Line is expected to serve 3,000 passengers per hour per direction initially, increasing to 15,000 passengers per hour per direction by 2060.
On concerns over dust and vibration, Azmi said the project has received approval from the Environment Department and contractors must comply with the Environmental Impact Assessment plan.
InvestPenang chief executive officer Datuk Loo Lee Lian, who voiced concern on behalf of industries in Bayan Lepas, said they are worried about the potential impact on operations.
“We have about 350,000 people working in the manufacturing sector on the island and mainland, travelling between their homes and workplaces.
“The Human Resources departments of companies will need to manage employee hours and traffic. Any downtime due to flooding or traffic congestion can lead to major losses,” he said.
Penang infrastructure, transport and digital committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari urged everyone to remain patient during the construction.
“This is Penang’s most ambitious project thus far.
“The LRT alignment passes USM, Penang International Airport, Penang Waterfront Convention Centre and Setia SPICE Convention Centre.
“By connecting to Penang Sentral on the mainland, the system will also be linked to the national rail network,” he said.
Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin also urged companies to plan ahead and incorporate flexible work hours for their employees to prevent traffic chaos.
“Employees should be encouraged to carpool to minimise traffic during peak hours.”
The Mutiara Line LRT will span 29km from Silicon Island to Penang Sentral, featuring 21 stations.
Once completed, the line is expected to significantly reduce traffic congestion and support Penang’s long-term economic growth.
