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Planned
bridge to go through troubled Malaysian waters
By Anil Netto
PENANG, Malaysia - Like a mammoth concrete serpent with a shimmering
central hump, the 8.5 kilometer Penang Bridge stretches out across
the channel separating the mainland peninsula from the southeast
of Malaysia's "Silicon Island".
The bridge complements a decades-old, neglected but still charming
ferry service further north.
So when authorities announced plans last month to start work on
a third link to the mainland peninsula - a proposed bridge-tunnel
- in 2003, concerned groups rose up in protest over the financial,
environmental and traffic implications of the project.
The 2.3 billion ringgit (US$600 million) bridge-tunnel would be
built toward the north of the northern Malaysian state of Penang,
about eight km up from the ferry terminals. The new 9.2 km link
would start as a bridge until it reaches two artificial islands
before mid-channel on either side: these would be the starting points
of a mid-channel, two km tunnel that would allow shipping traffic
to and from Penang's ports to pass unhindered.
The islands would have a viewing gallery and a "Titanic-like" structure
as a tourist landmark.
Certainly, the existing Penang Bridge, which links the electronics
industrial zone on the island to another industrial area on mainland
Penang, is rapidly reaching its maximum carrying capacity, especially
during peak hours. Traffic grinds to a standstill every time there
is an accident on the bridge.
But critics say that much of the Penang Bridge's traffic snarls
could have been relieved had the ferry service not been neglected
since the bridge's completion in 1985. They argue that Penang does
not need another road link for now, since roads fill up just as
fast as they are built. All that is needed is a less costly, urgent
upgrade of the ferry service.
For the longer term, they insist the state should be looking at
more sustainable transport modes including a light rail transit
(LRT) system, with cross-channel links.
"We have to look at other options like expanding the ferry service,"
says transport planner Ganesh Rasagam. "The key is public transport."
It would be worthwhile to do a feasibility study for an LRT link
that would avoid the shipping lanes, he adds.
Already, the state traffic police chief has warned that planned
new ring roads on the island would have to be completed first before
the new link is completed given the surge in traffic pouring into
the island, which is half the size of Singapore.
Cross-channel commuters pay 7 ringgit in toll charges per car -
the same rate is imposed by both the Penang Bridge and the ferry
service - and toll is only collected on the mainland side. Once
on the island, commuters can opt for either the bridge or the ferry
for the toll-free ride to the mainland. But more often than not,
impatient commuters on both sides give the ferry service a miss
when they see long queues snaking outside the ferry terminals on
both the island and the mainland.
"There are only five ferries running now," reveals a former ferry
crew member with 25 years' experience. That is a far cry from the
dozen or more operating in 1985 when the ferry service was at its
peak, just before the Penang Bridge was completed and hence encouraged
more motorization. But in the late 1980s, the old ferry terminal
on the mainland serving both passengers and vehicles collapsed and
was never rebuilt. That terminal operated side-by-side with a newer
terminal on the mainland built in the mid-1970s.
With one ferry terminal-less, the five double-decker vehicular ferries
that used this newer terminal were converted into passenger-taking
ferries - and led to the gradual discarding of the older ferries.
Thus, the number of ferries was drastically cut. Critics allege
that the ferry service was allowed to plummet to maximize toll collection
on the new Penang Bridge, while port authorities argued that the
ferries are outdated and running at a loss.
Whatever the case, frustrated commuters deserted the ferry service
in droves. The rise in traffic on the Penang Bridge surpassed even
the planners' expectations: the original toll booths proved to be
insufficient to cater to the expanding traffic volume and new toll
booths had to be added.
Asked what he thought of the proposed third link, the former ferry
worker replies, "I think it would be much better if the Penang Port
was to increase the number of ferries. I don't think we need to
build another link for now - maybe sometime in the future, in about
five to 10 years or so. For now, all they need to do is to rebuild
the collapsed terminal and improve the ferry service," he adds.
Reacting to concerns over the environmental impact of the proposed
Third Link, Works Minister Samy Vellu said the government would
go ahead with the project as it gave priority to commuters' convenience.
He said Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) studies had been conducted
earlier and the findings were submitted to the Science, Technology
and Environment Ministry before the design for the proposed link
was drawn up. "There will be no adverse effects to the ecology system
as we will take into account many aspects before construction work
starts," he said.
Public interest groups, however, are demanding that the EIA studies
be made public and are worrying about possible silting along the
coastline. Even establishment personalities involved in heritage
conservation have expressed reservations. They are concerned about
the impact of additional traffic on Penang's efforts to be listed
as a UN World Heritage Site.
The Penang Port managing director, for his part, has said the port
would be implementing a multimillion-ringgit dangerous cargo terminal
on a 50-hectare reclaimed site, just beside the proposed area of
the bridge-tunnel project. The proposed tunnel would also thwart
the port's plans to dredge the channel to make it deeper - from
the present 11.5 meters to 15 meters.
No one knows what the proposed toll rate is going to be though it
is likely to be more than 7 ringgit. Activists are now waiting to
see if there will be an open tender in the selection of contractors.
Already, some critics say the final cost could be more than the
planned $600 million, bearing in mind that the Penang Bridge (without
any tunnel) cost $222 million some 20 years ago. Thus far, the government
appears determined to push the project through, but it will have
to contend with murmurs of discontent that may grow louder.
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