Works on Penang's Juru-Sungai Dua Elevated Expressway to start in 4Q, complete in 2030 — exco

• Penang Infrastructure, Transport and Digital Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said the implementation of the Juru-Sungai Dua traffic dispersal project involves a 17.4km highway and a 9km elevated alignment.

GEORGE TOWN (March 6): Physical works for the construction of the Juru-Sungai Dua Elevated Expressway project near here are expected to begin in the fourth quarter of this year and be completed in 2030.

Penang Infrastructure, Transport and Digital Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said the implementation of the Juru-Sungai Dua traffic dispersal project involves a 17.4km highway and a 9km elevated alignment.

"From Feb 24 to Feb 27, a value assessment workshop was conducted involving the Ministry of Works (KKR), Malaysia Highway Authority, PLUS and Penang state government agencies, including the Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP), and the KKR also announced that an agreement has been reached with PLUS to carry out the physical works in the fourth quarter of this year.

"The actual cost will be finalised at the KKR level with PLUS, but I understand that there will be savings from the actual cost announced, which is RM3 billion," he said at a press conference here on Thursday.

He said the project will cover eight phases of development, which will include an intersection without traffic lights, and two elevated U-turns to smoothen traffic flows.

Zairil said that apart from the construction of the highway, several critical intersections will also be upgraded, including the Juru Utara Elevated Intersection (Autocity), the Penang Bridge Intersection and Jalan Baru Overpass, as well as additional flyovers from Jalan Tun Hussein Onn to the North-South Expressway.

He said the concept of the highway is to separate local traffic from direct traffic flows, as implemented in Ipoh, Perak, where users travelling north do not need to exit the Juru toll, while those travelling south do not need to exit at the Sungai Dua toll.

"So, users travelling directly can continue their journey. We hope the project can reduce severe congestion in the area, which can be said to be the most congested route in Penang," he said.

He said the project also involves the implementation of a traffic management plan to reduce the impact on road users throughout the construction period of the Juru-Sungai Dua Elevated Expressway.

"Further discussions will be held with all parties involved before it is finalised. The state government is committed to ensuring that this project runs smoothly for the benefit of the people of Penang," he said.

Zairil said any latest developments on the project would be announced from time to time, with the final details expected to be finalised within the next six months.

"The state government would like to thank all parties who made the project a reality, especially Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who approved it in the budget presentation," he said.

The Juru-Sungai Dua Elevated Expressway is among several key initiatives for Penang announced by Anwar in Budget 2025 last Oct 18, in addition to the Penang Light Rail Transit (LRT), the expansion of the Penang International Airport, and the Batu Kawan 3 Industrial Park.

Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow was previously reported to have said that the Juru-Sungai Dua Elevated Expressway project, which is expected to be implemented through a public-private partnership with PLUS Malaysia Bhd and the Public-Private Partnership Unit (UKAS) together with several related agencies, is currently being reviewed.

Chow also asked the federal government to implement the Juru-Sungai Dua Elevated Expressway project because of the increasingly urgent traffic situation, which was raised during a briefing on developments in Penang in April.

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