KUCHING: A consultant firm has been appointed for the proposed Mile 8 Kuching-Serian flyover project, marking a significant step forward to ease traffic congestion along the busy stretch linking Kuching and Serian.
Batu Kitang assemblyman Datuk Lo Khere Chiang welcomed the development, expressing hope that the project would move into the tender stage within a year.
“I have been informed that a consultant firm has been appointed to carry out the necessary studies and design works for the proposed flyover at the Mile 8 junction.
“This is a positive progress, and I hope the calling for tender can be made in about a year from now,” he said when met at his Batu Kitang Service Centre.
The 8th Mile junction is one of the busiest traffic points along the Kuching-Serian road, particularly during peak hours, with heavy vehicles, daily commuters and commercial traffic contributing to frequent bottlenecks.
Lo said he has been in close contact with Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi to obtain updates on the project’s status and to convey the concerns of residents and road users in the Batu Kitang constituency.
He thanked Nanta, who is assisting to facilitate the key infrastructure project aimed at relieving severe traffic congestion.
However, he acknowledged that certain delays were beyond his control as the flyover is fully funded and implemented by the federal government.
“As this is a federal government-funded project, matters relating to approvals, technical assessments and allocations are handled at the federal level. We, at the state level, can only follow up and push for its implementation,” he explained.
Despite the delay, Lo said he would continue to monitor the progress closely and press for the project to be expedited, given its importance in improving traffic flow and enhancing road safety in the rapidly developing southern corridor of Kuching.
He believed that once completed, the flyover is expected to significantly reduce congestion and provide smoother connectivity between Kuching and Serian, adding that it benefits everybody including his constituency as a whole.
In June 2024, Nanta announced the prioritisation and approval of the RM480 million project to alleviate severe traffic congestion.
The project is part of critical ‘redline’ upgrades to the Pan Borneo Highway and is expected to be completed by 2027.
