Saturday 31 October 2009

Traffic Congestion In The Making

It is a pleasure to put up some of our residents' articles. This one here came from Albert and thanks very much.

Hi Jimmy,
I am staying in Pearl Garden. Recently, I have came across a news in local chinese newspaper which I think would affect all of us including Sungai Ara residents. Sorry for the chiong hei (long winded) email. This is more or less the content of the news.

25th Oct 09
To ease the heavy traffic in the Bayan Lepas old town road, the Penang JKR department will open a new
interchange road called Jalan Kampung Bukit, which will divert the traffic from Teluk Kumbar to Sungai Ara. It
means that for those residents staying in Teluk Kumbar who would like to go to the town area, they will have to turn left at the traffic light into Jalan Kampung Bukit where Taman Sri Bayu apartment is located, instead of passing through the Bayan Lepas old town area.

The Jalan Kampung Bukit road will eventually merge to the Jalan Dato Ismail Hashim where the resident from Teluk Kumbar will pass through the traffic light infront of the SP Setia, cemetry, Pearl Garden, Chung Cheng Primary School to go to Georgetown.

Currently the new Jalan Kampung Bukit road is still not open to the public yet as the JKR is still waiting for the traffic flow report. After the new road is opened, the JKR will change the Bayan Lepas old town road to one way. It means that for those who wants to go to Teluk Kumbar from Bayan Baru, they can still pass through the Bayan Lepas old town road. But not of the opposite direction. This news is reported in the Kwong Wah Jit Poh dated 25th Oct 09.

Fyi, the new interchange road will be opened next month. Please refer to the original news reported at this link, http://www.kwongwah.com.my/news/2009/10/25/2.html

As the resident of Pearl Garden and Sungai Ara as a whole, I personally think that this arrangement or "patch
solution" is going to create heavy traffic congestion along Jalan Dato' Ismail Hashim. Every morning and
evening during peak hours, the traffic flow in Sungai Ara is almost unbearable.

We will have to bear with heavy jam in the traffic light located in front of Chong Cheng Primary School and the traffic light at the cross road of Jalan Data Ismail Hashim and Jalan Tun Dr Awang. What the local authorities are trying to do is to move the traffic congestion problem from one place to another.

This will not solve the traffic problem but at the same time creating a bigger pile up along Jalan Dato Ismail Hashim which is already having problem coping with the increasing traffic. With such heavy traffic congestion, Sungai Ara property price will definitely be affected.

Currently, we are having difficulty trying to cross the road opposite of Pearl Garden (Jalan Dato Ismail
Hashim) due to heavy traffic from Setia Pearl Island direction. I could not imagine how the situation will be
if the road is used for those traffic from Teluk Kumbar as well.

Do you have any channel for us to complain/feedback to the local authority in order for them to find a better
solution?

I guess they will have to come to Sungai Ara during peak hour to realize that the traffic condition in Sungai Ara is no better than Teluk Kumbar and it might be worst.

I could think of a simpler solution. Instead of directing the traffic along Jalan Dato Ismail Hashim, the traffic could be directed to Jalan Makamah. From Jalan Makamah, the road user will be able to turn to Jalan Tun Dr Awang. In fact, the road user could access back to Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah but that would require them to make an illegal U-Turn at the roundabout near the airport.

If the Local authority could allow traffic to flow to the roundabout, the condition will be much better. Please refer to the image Map.jpg for the alternative route that I mentioned. Apologize for the poor description. The road that was proposed by JKR is showed in cyan and green arrow. The alternative route that I thought of is rounded as blue.

Albert

26 comments:

  1. Albert,

    Well you know what, I think your suggestion might just work. I will need to try out the route you mentioned and see why this alternative route was not proposed. Your proposal cuts thru a Malay kampung right?

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  2. Jimmy,

    Yes, your are right. Anyway road that I mentioned is quite broad actually. It is the junction on the left hand side after the Setia Pearl Island junction if you are travelling from PG.

    Albert

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  3. Albert,

    We can actually speak to our Adun on this matter and propose it to him. Anyway, I just pass the road, there is a "Pasar Malam" here tonight.

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  4. Hi Jimmy,

    How should we approach the ADUN. Could we just write letter to him or any other channel we could approach him. I suppose our ADUN is YB Abdul Malik Abdul Kassim rite.

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  5. All,
    Be carefull when you make illegal U-turn there. My daughter was caught by JPJ with warrant to court issued on the spot. It costs Rm200. No bargain.
    There used to be a dirt road connecting the housing area next to Sri Bayu. It is about 20m to Jln Dr Taun Awang.
    Maybe JKR/MPPP should asked the developer to have a proper link since there are many developments taking place around there.
    One suggestion is to write to PINTAR to ask for dialog between them & all the MCs/JMBs in this area. We stand a better chance of JKR listening to our concerns.
    LT

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  6. I know YB Malik and YB Sim, so we can make an appointment and see any of them. Another alternative is to write to PINTAS and relate the issue to the state government. PINTAS is very fast. Log into Penang Gov website and register a feedback. Please do that and I will follow up with Adun.

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  7. Jimmy,

    Sure. I will log a report to PINTAS. Do you think if it will be advantagoues if I write an article to Kwong Wah Jit Poh as well?
    Thanks

    LT,
    Yeah. That's illegal. So we hope that the roundabout could be accessed directly from Jalan Mahkamah legally. This will prevent dangerous illegal U turn at the same time easing traffic congestion.

    Albert

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  8. Albert,

    We need all the help we need, for the sake of our residents at Pearl Garden...I think you can go ahead with KWJP.

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  9. Jimmy,

    I have just logged a report to PINTAS. Let see how it goes.
    Thanks
    Albert

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  10. Albert,

    Cool..lets wait for their answer. Thanks bro

    ReplyDelete
  11. Already send the article to KWJP. Not sure if they will highlight. Let's hope for any good news. I guess this is also for the good of all the Sungai Ara residents.

    Albert

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  12. Albert, Jimmy...

    thanks for the excellent proposal.

    If the suggestion is not approved, we can consider an alternate route between Taman Sri Bayan & Kampung Sepuluh, which cut across Jalan Dato Ismail Hashim to Jalan Tun Dr Awang...

    I believe this will ease the traffic situation expecially for those staying in SP Setia.

    thanks, ad

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  13. Hi Ad,

    No problem..Albert did quite a bit to get the message to the correct parties. We will wait for further development.

    ReplyDelete
  14. hi Jimmy,

    thanks.

    Side topic...

    Subject: Safety Procedure at Multistorey Car-Park

    There is notice board instruction to ask resident use the center staircase to access multi-storey cark park while not use the sides up/down ramp.

    I have mixed viewpoint on this proposal...
    1. Yes, an excellent approch to have everyone using center staircase to access the multi-storey car park to prevent accident. Good for driver & resident.

    2. But on the other hand, will it convenient to all maybe resident staying in Block B/C walking through Block A to enter/exit from car parked?
    (By using the word of convenient, people will tend to ask why we used to take short-cut?) But, think about it... for resident from Block B or C, if my car parking level B, C, D especially near to the corner... i may think it may not convenient for me... unless raining... however, i try not to use it as excuses.
    It's just my thought while not representing all resident from Block B or C.
    People may think why i'm so lazy, why we don;t follow the rule...

    3. How this help the parent who transporting babies or children with stroller?
    I don;t think we can avoid using the ramp instead of pushing the stroller using stair case right... How can we solve this issue then?
    No stroller please???
    Ask parent leave the baby & stroller at the lobby and pick up later after taking the car?
    Install leave at multi-storey car-park?

    Let's think...

    4. To prevent accident, why we don;t use another approach like speed bump to create attention, awareness to reduce driving speed in PG compound??? you know... there are drivers speeding at 40-50km/h which potential may create disaster. why we don't have plan to control this?

    thanks, ad

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  15. hi jimmy & Albert,

    a quick update on the alternate route...
    i happened to drop by Ideal Gallery with my friends, i came to know that there is a plan to open up a road cross over Jalan Dato Ismail Hashim to Jalan Tun Dr Awang... it will be located at the new developed housing estate opposite SP Setia.

    I hope it this will bring us some good news to avoid traffic congestion in front of PG traffic light.

    thanks, ad

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  16. Hi Ad,

    Thanks for the info. This could actually help to ease the traffic flow.

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  17. Ad, There was a near-miss last week and some mis-understanding. This is a catch-22 situation. I agree with the difficulties but it is better to be safe. It is only fair that a notice is issued and those who walk that way, do it at their own risk.
    On the speeding manaic, it is very impractical to place speed humps every where and all drivers suffer just becos of few. BTW, it is expensive to instal those humps. It would be better if we identify those manaic and educate/ warn them. Do you know that we have drivers who de-tour to by-pass the exit hump? Mgt has to chain up the side. LT

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  18. Oh yes, I have seen that. The mentality people have.

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  19. LT, thanks for the advice. yes, i certainly understand we are risk by walking at the ramp. if situation allow, we try to avoid that to happen...

    let say if we identified those manaic, shall we record the car number plate and log a complain through management office? but, how do we it if we don;t have concrete evident to show to them?

    by the way, who is managing the illegal parking? i still disagree with the approach used in tackling illegal parking inside PG. the no parking stickers were flying everywhere and sometime on the wall. what can management help to improve it?

    thanks, ad

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  20. Hi Ad,

    I aware of the road 'promised' by Ideal. However according to them, the road won't be open until 8 years later provided that they have successfully developed the housing and commercial area opposite SP Setia.

    Hi Jimmy,
    I have not seen KWJP publishing anything I wrote to them hahaha. Do you have any feedback from ADUNs.

    Thanks guys
    For a better Pearl Garden.
    Albert

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  21. Hi Albert,

    Biasa la, newspaper editors are quite selective nowadays. As for the Aduns, I can arrange a meeting with them, I think the mentioned section belongs to YB Abdul Malik. When are you free? And I think we should bring along a MC with us if you deem necessary. I think LT is favorable.

    What do you think?

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  22. hi Albert,

    thanks for the input. i have not heard from them on the duration.

    hi Jimmy & LT,

    May i know who is the MC in charge of illegal parking?
    Did you see there are 9 pcs of no parking stickers being thrown on the floor in front of block A?
    What is our MC view on these paper???
    a decoration for Pearl garden??? (borrowed Jimmy question... are they blind of seeing the paper on the floor?)

    thanks, ad

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  23. Hi Jimmy,

    Yeah. It will be good if that can be arranged. I am not sure if it's ok to be done on weekend or weekday cos I never look for ADUN b4. Haahaha. Maybe we can discuss offline. I will email you.

    Albert

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  24. Ad,
    There is a sub-committee of 3 MCs oversee & set policy on all security & parking matters. Well MC's procedure require you to file a complaint with mgt office. Blog posting or email will not be entertained. Even I have to comply. There is a memo on the notice board on this. Go & read up. If you are unit owner, you have the right to enquire the list of MCs from mgt office. LT

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  25. Albert,

    You just missed both the Aduns this morning. They were at PISA launching an event. No problem, I will try to get them next weekend. You can reach me by email at leowbh@gmail.com or 012-4010883.

    ReplyDelete