By Marlynda Meraw and Karen Bong
MIRI, Aug 17: The viaduct bridge at Bukit Song in Lambir, Miri has reached 98 per cent progress and is slated to be fully completed by the end of October 2025.
According to Federal Works Minister (JKR) Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi, the viaduct bridge, which is part of Work Package Contract 11 (WPC11), is 300 metres long and has seen its cost increase to RM58 million.
Although full completion is targeted for October 2025, he revealed that the bridge is expected to begin receiving traffic as early as the end of September of the same year.
“The construction of this viaduct, which was scheduled to be completed in October, is to be completed next month (Sept), thus completing the construction of this highway in total for all LPB users in Sarawak,” he said.
The viaduct bridge is one of two works under this WPC11 package that have yet to be completed, the other being the replacement of LAKU water pipes spanning 4.2km along Batu 8, Lambir section of the LPB.
“The decision to build a viaduct (bridge) was made due to the soil conditions at Bukit Song, which were not suitable for embankment.
“This (construction of viaduct bridge) is the most stable and safe long-term solution,” he told reporters during a press conference at the Bukit Song viaduct bridge construction site today.
The road section was initially built on land, but the embankment failure at Ch.49+650 of the Lambir section under WPC11 that occurred on December 4, 2018 led to slope stability issues that may affect the structural integrity of the highway as well as the safety of road users and the surrounding communities.
Back in May 2023, Nanta announced that due to the soil movements, a viaduct bridge had to be constructed above ground to address the slope stability issues.
The construction on the viaduct bridge began on November 11, 2023. —DayakDaily
