By Jaythaleela K
MIRI, Feb 27: The road widening project and installation of traffic light at Lopeng Tengah is finally completed despite some delay due to the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) following the Covid-19 pandemic.
The RM1.2 million project, which is fully funded by the State government and implemented by the Public Works Department (JKR), was being constructed over the past seven months.
The traffic light is being installed at the area’s T-junction to help ease the traffic flow.
“Today, the traffic light is on a trial run,” opined Minister for Transport Sarawak Datuk Lee Kim Shin when met at the site today.
He was accompanied by Miri divisional engineer Chong Chi Fam.
He added the traffic light uses a smart traffic light system to monitor the traffic flows.
“The system is connected to the control room in Kuching,” Lee pointed out, adding that during the trial run, it would help to adjust the timing (of the traffic light) to suit the situation.
The project started in October last year.
“This junction is one of the busiest in the city besides Pujut 7 and Jalan Bintang, with traffic flows of more than 20,000 (vehicles) per day prior to the MCO were recorded passing through the junction,” Lee explained.
Lopeng Tengah road connects to Sekolah Menengah Lopeng Tengah as well as serves as an alternative route to the Miri Hospital and Miri Airport areas.
On future planning to widen the old Riam road, Lee who is also Senadin Assemblyman disclosed, that a proposal on the matter to be included in the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) had been put up.
“The process (road widening) may involve acquisition of private-owned land,” he said. — DayakDaily
