GEORGE TOWN: Motorists are fuming over a sudden and drastic speed limit reduction on a relatively new curving ramp connecting Jalan Tunku Kudin to the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway leading toward the Penang Bridge.
The abrupt transition, dropping from 80km/h to 40km/h, has triggered a deluge of speed trap summonses, especially for nearby residents and daily commuters.
Disgruntled road users argue that the distance provided to decelerate before hitting the speed camera is far too short. Many contend that slamming on the brakes on such a busy stretch creates a severe trailing hazard, risking rear-end collisions.
However, Penang police chief Comm Datuk Dennis Lim Kwang Keng defended the strict enforcement, urging motorists to exercise extreme caution on the sharp bend.
"It is a sharp curve, and motorists must reduce their speed. Vehicles risk skidding if they negotiate the bend too fast, particularly when the surface is slick during rainy weather," Comm Lim said.
Addressing widespread complaints that 40km/h is unsustainably slow for a highway slip road, Comm Lim noted that any formal adjustment to the limit would require comprehensive environmental, traffic, and engineering assessments.
The sudden speed drop has ignited heated discussions on social media. Facebook user Chan Lilian shared that her husband was slapped with a summons while riding his motorcycle along the stretch.
"My husband got fined on his bike. So, I tried to drive it myself to see if I could comfortably slow down to 40km/h just by braking, but I still clocked about 57km/h. The road slopes downhill; you simply cannot slow down that abruptly without risking being hit from behind," she posted.
Another regular commuter, who requested anonymity, revealed she had already amassed two speeding summonses at the exact location—one for travelling at 55km/h in March and another at 56km/h in May.
"At normal cruising speed, it is incredibly difficult to drop down to 40km/h on a road feeding directly into an expressway. I tried my best to obey the law, but I never expected driving at what felt like a snail's pace would still trigger two fines," she lamented.
A physical check of the site reveals an 80km/h speed limit sign placed immediately after the Udini underpass. However, motorists are almost immediately confronted with a 40km/h sign positioned just before the uphill ramp connecting to the expressway.
Seri Delima assemblyman Connie Tan Hooi Peng, who has received at least 10 formal complaints from constituents branding the restriction impractical, has stepped in to demand an official review.
To evaluate the danger firsthand, Tan conducted a site inspection, driving the stretch alongside a representative from the Northeast District Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department, as well as officials from the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) and the Public Works Department (JKR).
"I have raised this issue at several meetings and strongly urged the authorities to balance public feedback with technical road safety requirements," Tan said.
"LLM explained that the 40km/h benchmark was set strictly according to the road’s engineering design limitations. Even so, what motorists experience dynamically on the tarmac often differs from theoretical assessments on paper. I have requested LLM to re-examine the structural limits and identify a more practical solution."
Tan later updated her Facebook page to state that police speed enforcement at the hot spot has been temporarily suspended while the relevant technical agencies conduct further evaluation.
The issue initially gained massive traction online after a motorist went viral for receiving a summons on June 6 for travelling at 54km/h, prompting hundreds of other drivers to step forward with identical experiences.
