Road users can now resume using Jalan Tun Razak, Jalan Foochow No 1 and Jalan Rengas. Photo by Roystein Emmor.
KUCHING: Good news for Kuching motorists as the Jalan Tun Razak – Jalan Foochow No 1 intersection was reopened today.
The reopening of the roads is seven days ahead of schedule, as residents of Three Hills Park, Kali Garden, Jalan Foochow No 1 and other road users coming from areas like Tabuan Jaya will now be able to use the traffic light intersection per normal, said Padungan assemblyman Wong King Wei.
It was previously announced on Dec 19 that the roads will be closed until Dec 31.
“The roads were closed on Dec 19, as I visited the site on the 17th and subsequently had a meeting on the 18th, where we came to the decision of closing the road. Initially, I was told that the reopening could only be done on Dec 31, but after constant monitoring on the construction progress and the hard work of the dedicated contractors and workers, they managed to complete the whole process seven days ahead of schedule.
“Public Works Department (JKR) Sarawak did the concrete cube test yesterday (Dec 23) and it was still lacking a bit of strength, but today (Dec 24) they tested the road again and said that it was sufficient, so they have allowed the reopening of the road and intersection,” Wong told members of the media.
Wong had come to the site for the intersection’s reopening as well as to turn on the intersection’s traffic lights as a symbolic gesture.
He also expressed his hope that this road construction would be a lesson for JKR Sarawak with regards to monitoring and implementation for road construction projects in the future.
“Monitoring the progress of this road construction, to be frank, should have been the work of JKR Sarawak because they are the implementing agency of all federal government road maintenance projects. They should have closely monitored day by day to ensure that there would be no delay on the contractors’ part.
“I believe that with this monitoring attitude by any of the personnel in JKR Sarawak, all the projects in Kuching can be completed on time, if not ahead of schedule,” Wong said.
Wong and Yong (right) preparing to turn on the traffic lights for the Jalan Tun Razak – Jalan Foochow No 1 inter-section. Photo by Roystein Emmor.
He added that another concern about the road closure was whether any safety precautions were being taken to protect road users.
“I understand that there is a safety guideline from JKR Sarawak but apparently almost all the road contractors in Sarawak are not complying with the safety guidelines provided by JKR Sarawak, for example erecting sufficient notice, lamps at night and buffer zones for safety. But this has not be done, which is very sad.
“We should upgrade ourselves under the new government and hope that implementation of work is not just done, but done properly with high standards,” Wong added.
The final works for the road such as road furniture and road line markings would be carried out after Christmas and at night and is expected to be completed before January 2020.
Also present was Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong.
Jalan Tun Razak had been undergoing milling and resurfacing works as well as concrete pavement construction since September and had initially been scheduled for completion in mid-November.
However, the project came under heavy criticism from road users due to the massive jams during peak hours there and JKR Sarawak came out with a statement on Dec 19 announcing the closure of the Jalan Tun Razak – Jalan Foochow No.1 inter-section.
The concrete road is a method employed in West Malaysia to off-set road damages due to heavy vehicles travelling along the road, as constant resurfacing is not sufficient as a long-term solution for the problem.