Penang Bridge

Last updated

Mes-e36.svg
Expressway 36
Penang Bridge
Jambatan Pulau Pinang
பினாங்கு பாலம்
槟威大桥
Penang Bridge
Penang Bridge in red
Penang Bridge Dec2024-1.jpg
Route information
Length13.5 km (8.4 mi)
Existed1970s–present
HistoryOpened 3 August 1985[ citation needed ], inaugurated 14 September 1985 [1]
Major junctions
East endMes-e1.svg North–South Expressway Northern Route North–South Expressway Northern Route and MYS Jkr-ft3112.svg FT 3112 Jalan Perusahan Perai at Perai, Seberang Perai
West endMYS Jkr-ft3113.svg FT 3113 Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway and MYS Jkr-ft6.svg FT 6 Gelugor Highway at Gelugor, Penang Island
Location
Country Malaysia
Primary
destinations
George Town, Bayan Lepas, Perai, Butterworth, Bukit Mertajam
Highway system
Penang Bridge
Coordinates 5°21′14″N100°21′09″E / 5.353863°N 100.352554°E / 5.353863; 100.352554
CarriesMotor vehicles
Crosses Penang Strait, Malaysia
LocalePenang
Official namePenang Bridge
Maintained by PLUS Expressways
Characteristics
Design Cable-stayed bridge
Box girder bridge
Total length13.5 km (8.4 mi)
Width--
Longest span225 meters
History
DesignerPrimary
Government of Malaysia
Malaysian Highway Authority

Secondary
Flag of South Korea.svg Hyundai Engineering and Construction Company (Korea) Ltd
United Engineers Malaysia Berhad
Constructed by
Multiple
  • Primary
    Package 1
    Loh & Loh Construction Co Ltd

    Package 2
    Maraputra Sdn Bhd

    Package 3, 4 and 5
    Flag of South Korea.svg Hyundai Engineering & Construction
    Sykt. Pembinaan Hashbuddin (M) Sdn. Bhd. (Joint Venture)
    Lim Kar Bee & Sons Sdn. Bhd. (Joint Venture)
    United Engineers Malaysia Berhad

    Package 6 and 7
    Flag of South Korea.svg Hyundai Engineering & Construction
    Sykt Pembinaan Rahim & Sons Sdn. Bhd.


    Secondary
    Howard Needles & Tammen, Bergendoff Intl. Inc. SA/JK (SEA) (Consulting Engineer)
Construction start12 April 1982 [1]
Construction end13 April 1985 [1]
Opened3 August 1985
Inaugurated14 September 1985 [1]
Statistics
TollDepends on vehicle type (island-bound only)
Location
Penang Bridge

The Mes-e36.svg Penang Bridge is a 13.5-kilometre (8.4-mile) [2] [3] dual carriageway toll bridge and controlled-access highway in the Malaysian state of Penang. It connects Perai on the mainland side of the state with Gelugor on the island, crossing the Penang Strait. The bridge was the first and, until 2014, only road connection between the peninsula and the island. It is the second-longest bridge over water in Malaysia, with a length over water of 8.4 kilometres (5.2 miles). [3]

Contents

Penang Bridge was inaugurated on 14 September 1985. [1] The current concession holder and maintainer is PLUS Expressways. Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd was the concession holder before it was merged with the current concessionaire.[ when? ]

History

Chronology

DateEvent
Early 1970sThe idea to build a bridge linking Seberang Perai to Penang Island was suggested by Prime Minister Abdul Razak Hussein and Chief Minister of Penang Lim Chong Eu.
23 July 1981Works Minister Samy Vellu announced that Penang Bridge would be constructed using the cable-stayed concrete girders of the San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge instead of the steel-tied arch in the style of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. [4]
1982Construction of Penang Bridge officially began.
3 August 1985Official opening of Penang Bridge by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. [5]
14 September 1985Penang Bridge is officially opened to traffic. [6]

Bridge widening

When the bridge was initially constructed, the central span had six lanes, while the rest of the bridge had four. Widening of the entire bridge to six lanes began in January 2008 and was completed in late 2009.

Features

Middle span of Penang Bridge PenangBridge.jpg
Middle span of Penang Bridge

Penang Bridge has an overall length of 13.5 km (8.4 mi): 8.4 km (5.2 mi) above water, 1.5 km (0.93 mi) on Penang Island, and 3.6 km (2.2 mi) in Prai. The 255 m (837 ft) main span is 33 m (108 ft) above water, held up by four 101.5 m (333 ft) towers. The carriageway has three lanes in each direction and a speed limit of 70–80 km/h (43–50 mph). [7]

The bridge has an emergency [[Rest area#Lay-bys|lay-by equipped with an SOS phone.[ citation needed ] Traffic CCTV and VMS are installed at various locations.[ citation needed ] The bridge carries a Tenaga Nasional 132kV power cable.[ citation needed ]

Tolls

Since 1985, Penang Bridge has been tolled. Fees are charged only when entering from the mainland and travelling towards Penang Island. Since 1994, the tolls have been collected by a private concession company, Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd, which has become a member of PLUS Malaysia Berhad. Beginning 1 January 2019, toll collection for motorcyclists, which used to be RM1.40, was abolished for both Penang bridges. [8] [9] [10]

Electronic toll collection

As part of an initiative to facilitate faster transactions at the Perai toll plaza, they have been exclusively conducted via electronic toll collection with the use of Touch 'n Go cards and SmartTAGs since 9 September 2015.[ citation needed ]

Fares

(Since 1 February 2020)

ClassTypes of vehiclesRate
(in Malaysian ringgit (RM))
1Motorcycles
(vehicles with two axles and two wheels)
Free
2Cars & motorcycles with sidecars
(vehicles with two axles and three or four wheels (including station wagons and commercial vehicles))
5.74
3AVans and & buses
(vehicles with two axles and four wheels (excluding lorries))
9.84
3BLorries
(vehicles with two axles and four wheels (excluding vans and buses))
12.00
4AVans & buses
(vehicles with two axles and five or six wheels (excluding trucks))
20.50
4BLarge trucks
(vehicles with two axles and five or six wheels (excluding vans and buses))
25.00
5ABuses
(vehicles with three axles (excluding trucks))
36.90
5BLarge trucks
(vehicles with three axles (excluding buses))
45.00
6Large trucks
(vehicles with four axles)
60.00
7Large trucks
(vehicles with five or more axles)
75.00

List of interchanges

kmExitInterchangeToNotes
Mes-e1.svg North–South Expressway Northern Route Tabliczka AH2.svg AH2 North-South Expressway Northern Route

North
Alor Setar
Permatang Pauh
Seberang Jaya
Malaysia expressway logo.svgMes-e1.svg North–South Expressway Northern Route Tabliczka AH2.svg AH2 North-South Expressway Northern Route
Malaysia expressway logo.svgMes-e36.svg Penang Bridge Tabliczka AH2.svg AH2 Penang Bridge
(Tun Hussein Onn Highway)
Mes-e36.svg Penang Bridge
0
Perai Interchange Northwest
Mes-e17.svg Butterworth Outer Ring Road MYS Jkr-ft1.svg FT 1 Butterworth Outer Ring Road
MYS Jkr-ft1.svg FT 1 Perai
MYS Jkr-ft1.svg FT 1 Butterworth

Southeast
MYS Jkr-ft1.svg FT 1 Butterworth-Kulim Highway
MYS Jkr-ft1.svg FT 1 Bukit Mertajam
Partial cloverleaf interchange
Railway crossing bridge
Penang Bridge Interchange 3601A
Mes-e1.svg North–South Expressway Northern Route Tabliczka AH2.svg AH2 North-South Expressway Northern Route

South
Kuala Lumpur
Ipoh
Bukit Tambun


3601B
MYS Jkr-ft3112.svg FT 3112 Jalan Perusahan Perai

Northwest
Perai Industrial Area

Southeast
Juru
3601A
Stacked expressway interchange

3601B
Cloverleaf interchange
Malaysia expressway logo.svgMes-e36.svg Penang Bridge Tabliczka AH2.svg AH2 Penang Bridge
(Tun Hussein Onn Highway)
Malaysia expressway logo.svgMes-e36.svg Penang Bridge Penang Bridge
U-TurnU-TURN
Mes-e36.svg Penang Bridge Tun Hussein Onn Highway
Perai
Butterworth

Malaysia road sign GI4a.svg TnG TAG Information centre (malaysia).jpg
Customer Service Centre
Perai toll plaza (PLAZA A)
(Enter bridge only)
PBSB

SmartTAG Touch 'n Go TnG POS MyRFID
Opened toll system
Pay toll
Light and heavy vehicles only
Perai toll plaza (PLAZA B)
(Enter bridge only)
PBSB

SmartTAG Touch 'n Go TnG POS MyRFID
Opened toll system
Pay toll
Light and heavy vehicles only
Malaysia road sign GI4b.svg Perai toll plaza
PBSB
Malaysia road sign GI4a.svg TnG TAG Information centre (malaysia).jpg
Customer Service Centre
Enter bridge only
U-turnU-TURN
Mes-e36.svg Penang Bridge Penang Bridge
George Town
Bayan Lepas

Malaysia road sign GI4a.svg TnG TAG Information centre (malaysia).jpg
Customer Service Centre
Penang Bridge
Length over water: 8.4 kilometres
3602A
3602B
3602C
Gelugor-Penang Bridge Interchange3602B West
MYS Jkr-ft6.svg FT 6 Gelugor Highway
Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) Regional office
Jelutong
Gelugor
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Malaysia Symbols-University.svg

MYS Jkr-ft3113.svg FT 3113 Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway
(Bayan Lepas Expressway)
3602C North
George Town/ Weld Quay
Air Itam
Batu Feringgi
Penang Hospital Hospital (malaysia).jpg

3602A South
Batu Maung
Bayan Lepas Industrial area
Penang International Airport Airport (malaysia).jpg
Jerejak Island (Jetty)
Stacked expressway interchange
Lotus's Penang Malaysia road sign GI4a.svg
3602C
North
Jalan Tengku Kudin InterchangeWEST
Jkr-ft---.svg P19 Penang Middle Ring Road
Jalan Yengku Kudin
Gelugor
Batu Feringgi
Tanjung Bungah
Air Itam
Penang Hospital Hospital (malaysia).jpg
Interchange from/to Penang Bridge and Bayan Lepas only
Malaysia expressway logo.svgMes-e36.svg Penang Bridge Penang Bridge
(MYS Jkr-ft3113.svg FT 3113 Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway)
(Bayan Lepas Expressway)
PBSB border limit
MYS Jkr-ft3113.svg FT 3113 Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway
(Jelutong Expressway)
JKR and MPPP border limit
North
MYS Jkr-ft3113.svg FT 3113 Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway
(Jelutong Expressway) George Town/Weld Quay
Komtar Ferry
Sungai Pinang
kmExitInterchangeToRemarks
Malaysian Highway Authority Northern Regional OfficeMalaysian Highway Authority Northern Regional Office
3602B
WEST
Universiti Sains Malaysia InterchangeMYS Jkr-ft6.svg FT 6 Gelugor Highway
North
George Town City Centre
Jelutong
Gelugor
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Malaysia Symbols-University.svg
Penang Hospital Hospital (malaysia).jpg

South
Balik Pulau
Bayan Lepas
Penang International Airport Airport (malaysia).jpg
Trumpet interchange

Commemorative events

Commemorative postage stamps to mark the opening of Penang Bridge were issued by the Malaysian Postal Services Department (now Pos Malaysia) on 15 September 1985. [11] The denominations for these stamps were 20 sen, 40 sen, and RM 1.00.

Incidents and accidents

Over the years of its operation, the bridge has been a frequent spot for road accidents [12] and suicides.

On 20 January 2019, two cars travelling mainland-bound collided, with one plunging into the Strait of Malacca. [13] A search operation was launched for the submerged car, and the victim was later found dead. [14]

Penang Bridge became a subject matter in Lat's 1987 comic book Lat and Gang. On page 58, Lat illustrates various situations taking place on the bridge. [15]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Bridge info". Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd. Malaysia. Archived from the original on 18 January 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
  2. "Penang Bridge". PLUS Malaysia Berhad . Malaysia. Archived from the original on 29 June 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Bridge details". Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd. Malaysia. Archived from the original on 18 January 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
  4. "Jambatan Pulau Pinang telan $530 juta" (in Malay). Berita Harian. 20 November 1981. p. 1.
  5. "Setelah 45 tahun kini jadi kenyataan" (in Malay). Berita Harian. 1 August 1985. p. 4. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  6. "Jambatan Pulau Pinang dirasmi" (in Malay). Berita Harian. 16 September 1985. p. 6.
  7. "bridge details". Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd. Archived from the original on 18 January 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2007.
  8. "Motorcyclists rejoice as they don't have to pay toll now". thestar.com.my. 3 November 2018.
  9. "No more bridge tolls for motorcyclists in Penang". Malay Mail. Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. 1 January 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
  10. Basyir, Mohamed (January 2019). "Toll charges gone at Penang bridges, but some motorcyclists still taking ferries". nst.com.my.
  11. "The Penang Bridge". Stamps of Malaysia. 14 May 2008. Archived from the original on 19 June 2008. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  12. "Penang Bridge SUV Accident – It was the 5th Time!". 22 January 2019.
  13. "Car plunges into sea after collision on Penang Bridge". The Star . 20 January 2019. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  14. "Missing SUV Driver that plunged into sea believed to be college student". The Star . 20 January 2019. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  15. Lat (1987). "Penang Bridge". Lat and Gang. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Berita Publishing. p. 58. ISBN   978-967-969-157-3.
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