New highway to ease city congestion

New highway to ease city congestion

The openings of the Eastern Dispersal Link Expressway (EDL) early next year promise to give a smoother ride for motorists in most part of Johor Baru district.

Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd (MRCB) CEO Datuk Mohamed Razeek Hussain said the project is expected to be ready in the first-quarter of 2012.

“Work at the site is progressing well.”
Freeway: Razeek (right) with Shaharuddin showing the model of the new expressway.

He said with the new EDL, travelling time would be reduced by almost 50% to most destinations in the district.

“It will improve the connectivity and accessibility to all the areas within the district,” he said.

He said EDL will be the next best alternative for motorists to by-pass major roads in the city area to continue their journey to the North-South Expressway (NSE).

He said this would help reduce the traffic congestion at Jalan Tebrau/Pandan, Jalan Tun Razak, Jalan Skudai/Jalan Abu Bakar and Jalan Stulang Darat.

Razeek said this in a press briefing on the progress of work on the RM1bil EDL, undertaken by MRCB’s wholly owned, MRCB Lingkaran Selatan Sdn Bhd (MLSSB).

The latter was awarded the 30-year concession in June 2007, including the four-year construction period.

The 8.1km dual three-lane carriageway – 4.4km elevated and 3.7 At-Grate (on the ground) – is an electronic, open toll systems and motorists have to pay their toll charges using the Touch & Go card only.

It provides direct link between the Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex in Bukit Chagar and the NSE via the Pandan interchange.

“Toll charges are only for traffic going to and fro Singapore via the CIQ while local motorists could use the EDL for free,’’ said Razeek.

Project director Shaharuddin Mohamed said between 60,000 and 70,000 motorists were expected to use the EDL daily especially those commuting to work from Johor Baru to Singapore.

He said the entire expressway would also be lightened up using the energy saving lights of 400-watt bulbs per pole, the new requirement by the Malaysian Highway Authority instead of 250-watt bulbs now.

~News courtesy of The Star~