Bandar Sungai Long residents are blaming traffic lights along Jalan Sungai Long, Kajang, for causing traffic build-up during peak hours.
RESIDENTS of Bandar Sungai Long, Kajang in Selangor, are fed up with having to put up with two problematic traffic lights along Jalan Sungai Long.
Bandar Sungai Long Residents Association chairman Datuk BK Tan has identified the Taman Rakan traffic lights junction, near the Taman Rakan Petronas petrol station, as the root cause.
“The mismatched timing of these traffic lights is the problem,” he says, elaborating that the traffic lights were not working in sync thus resulting in traffic build-up.
“During peak hours, motorists are stuck in traffic for half an hour on a 3km stretch when it only takes five minutes to traverse that portion during non-peak periods.
“Anyone heading to the airport will need more than 45 minutes to get there,” he said.
Bandar Sungai Long Section 7 resident Edmund Cham said there were too many housing estates in the area, hence the great number of vehicles adding to the congestion.
“There is also a university in Bandar Sungai Long with about 3,000 students and this contributes to the congestion too,” he said.
Bandar Sungai Long residents want the authorities to address the traffic congestion problem they face daily.
Cham said it would help if traffic police managed traffic flow during rush hour.
“Residents from neighbouring Bandar Mahkota Cheras also use Jalan Sungai Long to avoid the toll at Batu 11 Cheras.
“There is only one road serving motorists as entry and exit points,” he added.
Bandar Sungai Long resident Azman Mahmud, 60, said he could listen to two music albums from start to finish while waiting to exit Bandar Sungai Long.
“At the Bandar Sungai Long commercial zone junction, the road goes from three lanes to two causing a bottleneck situation.
“Some residents, who have lived here for 30 years, say nothing has been done to accommodate the growth in population, traffic, the university and schools.
“I suggest the people in authority take a drive along Jalan Sungai Long during peak hours to experience first-hand the congestion that residents endure daily,” said Azman.
Bandar Sungai Long Section 7 chairman Danny Lau said the two traffic lights were managed by Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) and Projek Lintasan Sungai Besi-Ulu Klang Sdn Bhd (Prolintas).
He said lack of coordination between the two lights was causing severe peak hour congestion.
Tan: Motorists are stuck in traffic for half an hour on a 3km stretch that takes only five minutes to traverse during non-peak periods.
“Motorists from more than 40 neighbourhoods are using these roads,” he said.
“Jalan Sungai Long cannot accommodate the volume of vehicles anymore and the authorities need to address this.
“Letters were sent two or three years ago with suggested solution to the assemblyman and MPKj councillor, but nothing came out of it.”
A Prolintas spokesperson said Sistem Lingkaran-Lebuhraya Kajang Sdn Bhd, the SILK Highway concessionaire, was aware of the synchronisation of traffic lights problem on Jalan Sungai Long.
“SILK is in discussions with MPKj on ways to improve the timing and synchronising the traffic lights.
“Site evaluation has been carried out and implementation will proceed once both parties reach an agreement.
“Prolintas appreciates motorists’ feedback and will work on improving its services.”
MPKJ was contacted by StarMetro for comments but had yet to respond at press time.
