Penang Second Bridge

Infobox Bridge in Malaysia

bridge_name=Penang Second Bridge
official_name=Penang Second Bridge
malay_name=Jambatan Kedua Pulau Pinang
locale=Penang Second Bridge
carries=Motor vehicles
crosses=Penang Straight,
Penang
mainspan=17 km
length=24 km
width=250 m
open=January 2011
maintained by=--
design=box girder bridge
designer=Government of Malaysia
Malaysian Highway Authority
UEM Builders
construction=China Harbour Engineering Co Ltd (CHEC)
UEM Construction Sdn Bhd

Malaysian expressway routebox
| expressway= Penang Second Bridge
E--= MES-E|22
E22
Highway concessionaire's logo=
length-km= 24
direction= west→east
start= Batu Maung
destinations= Bayan Lepas
Penang International Airport Airport signs
end= Batu Kawan-NSE Interchange
MES-E|1 North-South Expressway Northern Route
starting-date= 2008
completion-date= 2011
interchanges= JKR|3113 Bayan Lepas Expressway
MES-E|1 AHN-AH|2 North-South Expressway Northern Route
Asian Highway Network= none
Development Cost=RM 4.58 billion (previously estimated at RM 3.6B)
Number of lanes=4 lanes carriageway
Interchanges=6
Toll plazas=1
(Enter bridge only)
Layby=none
Rest and Service Area=2
Overhead Bridge Restaurant=none
Vista Point=2
Highway tunnels=none
Type of roads=Highway bridge
Tarmac
Toll systems=Opened toll systems

The Penang Second Bridge MES-E|22 is a new bridge under construction in Penang, Malaysia. It will connect Batu Kawan on the mainland Seberang Perai and Batu Maung on Penang Island. It will be the second bridge to link the island to the mainland after Penang Bridge. The total length of the RM 3 billion bridge is 24 km (15 miles) and will become the longest bridge in Malaysia and Southeast Asia. China Harbour Engineering Co Ltd (CHEC) expects to start work on the second Penang bridge in November 2007 for completion in 2011. The bridge will be built with a large loan from the People's Republic of China. [http://www.forbes.com/business/feeds/afx/2007/07/13/afx3910526.html Newspaper article regarding Chinese loan]

Overview

The planned bridge will be a four-lane dual carriageway bridge with two motorcycle lanes. Its total length is 24 km (15 miles). 17 km (10 miles) of the bridge will be across the South Channel, the channel between Penang Island and Seberang Perai. 1.5 km (1 miles) will be on the Batu Maung side, while 6 km (3 miles) will be on the Batu Kawan side. Six expressway interchanges will also be constructed as part of this project. K. Preamakanthan of UEM Construction Sdn Bhd is the project director responsible for this project.

It will have two observation platforms with rest and service areas at the central span. They are designed to resemble pearls. The rest area will be the first "floating" expressway rest area in Malaysia.

History

In August 2006, the Malaysian federal government unveiled a plan to build the Penang Second Bridge in the Ninth Malaysia Plan. In 12 November 2006, the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Penang Second Bridge was performed by Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

After months of soil survey work and test pilling work has been done, China Harbour Engineering Co Ltd and United Engineers Malaysia Berhad (UEM Group) announce that the project is on track for completion in 2011. Construction works was expected to begin in January 2008. [ [http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/Monday/Latest/20071210141943/Article/index_html Work on second Penang bridge begins] ]

On April 2008, the government announced that the project will be delayed by 9 months due to land acquisition and design issue and also the rising costs of building materials [cite news| title=Construction of Second Penang Bridge delayed| author=| publisher=New Straits Times| url=http://www.nst.com.my/Wednesday/National/2221069/Article/index_html] . Newly elected Penang Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng proposed a toll discount for any delays on the project [cite news|title=Discount 'punishment' for Second Penang Bridge delay| publisher=The Star| author=CHRISTINA CHIN and TAN SIN CHOW| url=http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/4/14/nation/20080414164339&sec=nation] and also express disappointment of the delay of the consturction [cite news|title=Penang CM disappointed over bridge delay| publisher=The Star|author= ANDREA FILMER|url=http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/4/17/nation/20080417165046&sec=nation.

On July 2008, Jelutong MP Jeff Ooi reported that the loan for the bridge risked being withdrawn if the shareholder agreement between UEM Builders Bhd and its joint-venture partner China Harbour Engineering Co Ltd is not inked by August 2008. It has been reported that there have been disagreements between the two parties on the apportionment of the cost of building the bridge although the issue should be resolved soon due to UEM having a variation on the price on its portion. [cite news| title= Second Penang Bridge loan risks being withdrawn | url= http://www.theedgedaily.com/cms/content.jsp?id=com.tms.cms.article.Article_65bc19e0-cb73c03a-1b092820-56d82b9c| author=Pauline Puah| date=2008-07-09| accessdate=2008-08-11| publisher=The Edge]

List of Interchanges

Batu Kawan Expressway side

External links

* [http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news_lite.php?id=223709 Works On Penang Second Bridge To Start On Nov 12 :: Bernama.com]
* [http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.aspfile=/2006/11/13/nation/16002352&sec=nation Bridge a catalyst for growth :: The Star.com]
* [http://www.uem.com.my/highlight/highlight_002.php UEM events: Penang Second Bridge]
* [http://www.uemworld.com.my/news_events/articles/articlemtr12110601.php UEM Group events: Penang Second Bridge]

ee also

*Penang Bridge
*Penang
*List of bridges by length
*Malaysian National Projects

References