The closure of a ramp on Jalan Damansara towards Kuala Lumpur has caused more congestion. — Photos: Kamarul Ariffin/The Star
Klang Valley folk say construction projects should be sped up to reduce inconvenience and ensure safety ROAD closures due to construction projects are something all too familiar to residents of Taman Salak Selatan in Kuala Lumpur.
Salak South Garden Residents Association chairman Paramasivam Govindasamy said, “We waited two years for the Jalan Hang Tuah 4 access road to reopen and that took place only after several protests by residents and repeated appeals.
Paramasivam says Taman Salak Selatan residents want the Jalan Hang Tuah 4 access road opened permanently.
“Despite all that, we were told that the reopening of the access road is on a trial basis from March 5 to Sept 5.
“What happens after that? We need the access road to be opened permanently as this closure has caused undue stress to residents.”
Jalan Hang Tuah 4 was closed for two years to facilitate the construction of the Taman Naga Emas MRT station on the Putrajaya Line, resulting in a new traffic system being introduced in the area.
The closure led to residents having to use a longer route and face daily congestion.
On May 2, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said that immediate steps would be taken to ease traffic congestion in the city.
He said reopening roads that had long been closed would be one of the measures.
Apart from reopening roads, he added that Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) had been asked to revise its target date to ease traffic congestion in the city by 2030.
Benjamin Liow, a long-time resident of Kuchai Lama, said contractors and developers should engage with residents before they decide to close roads.
“They must also ensure that the corresponding infrastructure is placed at the site before they close roads.
“The local community’s needs must be looked into, especially during peak hours when residents have to get to work or send their children to school,” he said.
Liow recounted how he and thousands of motorists using Jalan Kelang Lama to reach Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya had faced multiple road closures that suddenly happened in the night with no notification.
“We usually discover these sudden closures the next day.
“For instance, there was a drainage upgrading project in front of the 3rd Mile and 4½ Mile of Jalan Kelang Lama that took years to be completed, even before the Covid-19 pandemic began.
“It was always blocked by construction barriers that took up one lane.
“I passed by that area every day and traffic would be literally at a standstill.
“Yet nothing was going on at the site,” Liow added.
Ali says authorities must inspect roadworks regularly.
Bukit Bandaraya Residents Association advisor Datuk M. Ali said roadworks at the Pusat Bandar Damansara-Bangsar junction linked to the Sprint Highway was a classic example of a project that led to road closures, congestion and safety hazards.
“The authorities must ensure the safety of these roads for motorists,” he said.
In addition to facing a bumpy ride and congestion during the day, poor lighting at night makes driving there even more hazardous, said Ali.
“We need the authorities to inspect roadworks regularly,” he added.
Petaling Jaya City councillor Derek Fernandez said emphasis should be given to public transport and mass transportation systems such as the LRT and MRT.
“New intracity roads must not be encouraged unless absolutely necessary.”
He said that no approval should be given to elevated roads if existing roads were already busy, as such projects would inconvenience motorists and pose safety issues.
A highway industry source said reopening roads must be done holistically to balance safety with the need to spur the economy.
“Reopening roads near project sites is a good move but it must be done properly with good planning.
“I agree that there are some projects in Kuala Lumpur, especially redevelopment projects like the one in Damansara, that are taking a long time, and should be better managed.”
On the use of contra-flow arrangements as a means to mitigate the problem, the source said it was a good method.
“A good and effective contraflow system does wonders in helping ease traffic congestion and there are several systems that are operating in the Klang Valley now.
“The LDP (Damansara-Puchong Expressway) has a contra-flow system every morning.
“The ones at Shah Alam Expressway (Kesas) as well as Sungai Besi-Ulu Kelang Elevated Expressway (SUKE) are also good examples,” he said.
