Penang Bridge

Infobox Bridge in Malaysia
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bridge_name=Penang Bridge
official_name=Penang Bridge
malay_name=Jambatan Pulau Pinang
locale=Penang Bridge
carries=Motor vehicles
crosses=South Channel, Malaysia
mainspan=225m
length=13.5km
width=--
open=1985
maintained by=PLUS Expressway Berhad
Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd
design=cable stayed bridge
box girder bridge
designer=Government of Malaysia
Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM)
United Engineers Malaysia Berhad (UEM)
construction=Hyundai Engineering and Construction Company (Korea) Ltd
United Engineers Malaysia Berhad (UEM)

The Penang Bridge ("Jambatan Pulau Pinang" in Malay) MES-E|36 is a dual-carriageway toll bridge that connects Gelugor on the island of Penang and Seberang Prai on the mainland of Malaysia on the Malay Peninsula. The bridge is also linked to the North-South Expressway in Prai and Jelutong Expressway in Penang. It was officially opened to traffic on September 14 1985. The total length of the bridge is 13.5 km (8.4 miles), making it among the longest bridges in the world, the longest bridge in the country as well as a national landmark. PLUS Expressway Berhad is the concession holder which manages it. The bridge was designed by a local Penang resident, Tan Sri Datuk Professor Ir. Chin Fung Kee, a well known authority in geotechnical engineering and former acting Vice Chancellor of the University of Malaya.

Before 1985, transportation between the island and the mainland was solely dependent on the state-owned Penang Ferry Service that runs between Butterworth and George Town.

Similar to the ferry services in Penang, toll is only paid when heading to the island. There is no charge for leaving the island.

Currently, the Penang Bridge is being expanded from 4 lanes to 6 lanes to accommodate the increasing traffic on the bridge. A proposal for a second bridge, the Penang Second Bridge, has been approved by the Malaysian federal government and included as one of the Ninth Malaysia Plan national projects. Construction work of the new Penang Second Bridge began in November 2007, and the target completion date is before the end of 2010.

History

Chronology

Malaysian_expressway_routebox
E--=MES-E|36
E36
Highway concessionaire's
PLUS Expressway Berhad
Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd
(PBSB)
length-km=13.5
direction=West→East
start= Gelugor
destinations= Butterworth
Perai
Gelugor
George Town
end=Perai
starting-date= 1982
completion-date= 1985
interchanges= MES-E|17Butterworth Outer Ring Road
MES-E|1 AHN-AH|2North-South Expressway Northern Route
JKR|3112 Jalan Perusahan Perai
JKR|3113Jelutong Expressway
JKR|3113Bayan Lepas Expressway
JKR|6Gelugor Highway
Asian Highway Network=none
Development Cost=
Number of lanes=4 lanes carriageway except in the central span where it is 6 lanes
Interchanges=5
Toll plazas=2
(Enter bridge only)
Layby=none
Rest and Service Area=none
Overhead Bridge Restaurant=none
Vista Point=none
Highway tunnels=none
Type of roads=Highway bridge
Tarmac
Toll systems=Open toll systems
*Early 1970s - The idea to build a bridge linking Seberang Perai to Penang Island was initiated by the late Tun Abdul Razak, the second Prime Minister of Malaysia
*End of 1970s - The bridge was planned during the term of third Prime Minister, Tun Hussein Onn.
*23 July 1981 - Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu announced that the Penang Bridge, Penang would be constructed using the cable-stayed concrete girder of the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge instead of the steel-tied arch in the style of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
*1982 - Construction of the Penang Bridge officially began.
*3 August 1985 - Official opening of the Penang Bridge by the fourth Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad. He drove across the bridge in a red Proton Saga (a national car), carrying the national flag to officiate the opening ceremony.
*14 September - Penang Bridge was opened to traffic for the first time.
*15 August 1993 - Penang Bridge is now managed by the highway concessionaries Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd
*4 April 2007 - A bomb hoax found at the Penang Bridge caused the bridge to close for more than two hours (from 4:30 pm) and reopened to traffic at 7:00 pm after a bomb disposal squad declared it safe.
*January 2008 - The upgrading works for the bridge from 4 lanes to 6 lanes has begun.

= Bridge specifications [cite web |url=http://www.penangbridge.com.my/bridgedetails.php | title=bridge details |publisher=Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd |accessdate=2007-12-21] =

* Overall Length: 13.5 km (8.4 miles)
* Length Over Water: 8.4 km (5.2 miles)
* Penang Island Viaduct & Approach: 1.5 km (0.9 miles)
* Prai Approach: 3.6 km (2.2 miles)
* Carriageway: 2 lanes per carriageway except in the central span where it is 3. Work to widen the entire bridge to 3 lanes per carriageway has begun.
* Height of Tower Above Water: 101.5 m
* Height of Bridge Above Water: 33 m
* Main Span: 225 m
* End Span: 107.5 m
* Other Span: 40 m
* Speed limit: 80 km/h
* Maximum Gradient: 3.0%

Features

The bridge has an SOS emergency feature and traffic CCTV. The Gelugor Complex Interchange is the largest highway interchange in Malaysia.

Toll rates

Since 1985, Penang Bridge has been a tolled bridge. The toll is charged as you enter the bridge from the mainland end towards Penang Island. There is no toll imposed for mainland-bound motorists coming from the island.

The first concession was a government body, the Malaysian Highway Authority. Since 1993, toll collection has been undertaken by a private concession company, "Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd". However, On 1 September 2003, this company became a member of PLUS Expressway Berhad.

This table below is a list of toll rates for various vehicles crossing the bridge:-

MES-EXIT|3602B Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) interchange side

MES-EXIT|3602C Jalan Tunku Kudin interchange side

Interesting facts

*Penang Bridge toll plaza (Prai) is the first toll plaza in Malaysia to introduce toll payment by Contactless Smart Card.
*Penang Bridge toll plaza (Prai) is the first toll plaza in Malaysia with smart card payment for all classes of vehicles.

Major events

Penang Bridge International Marathon

The Penang Bridge International Marathon is held every year since 1985.

Participants ran over the third longest bridge in the world - the Penang Bridge - and along a scenic coastal highway. This is the only time of the year when the bridge is closed for several hours.

The biggest run in the country incorporates a marathon, a half-marathon and a quarter-marathon. The Run catered both to serious runners and amateur ones. It promoted healthy living and built a sense of community.

This is in addition to trophies, finisher medals, certificates and prizes donated by sponsors. In the past, this has included air tickets, hotel stays and household electrical goods.

The run was jointly organised by the Penang Municipal Council ("Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang") and Malaysian Highway Authority with the co-operation of the Penang Government, the Penang Amateur Athletic Association, the Penang Youth and Sports Department , University Science Malaysia, Penang Tourism Action Council and Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd.

"For more information see also [http://www.penangmarathon.llmnet.gov.my/home.php Penang Bridge International Marathon website] "

ee also

*Penang Second Bridge
*Penang
*North-South Expressway
*Jelutong Expressway
*Touch 'n Go
*Smart TAG
*Road signs in Malaysia
*Malaysian Federal Roads system
*Malaysian State Roads system
*Malaysian expressway system

References

External links

* [http://www.plus.com.my PLUS Expressway Berhad]
* [http://www.penangbridge.com.my Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd]
* [http://www.llmnet.gov.my Malaysian Highway Authotity]
* [http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&hl=en&ll=5.352667,100.349293&spn=0.0805,0.117073&om=1 Satellite Image of the Penang Bridge at Google Maps]
* [http://www.penangbridge.blogspot.com/ Penang Bridge Blog] - maintained by Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd, the bridge's operator
* [http://www.penang-vacations.com/penang-bridge.html Penang Bridge] - Penang National Landmark
*