KUCHING: The Batang Sejingkat Bridge project has reached 94 per cent physical completion and is on track to be completed by October, slightly ahead of schedule.
Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development Datuk Aidel Lariwoo said the project is about one per cent ahead of its planned progress and is expected to be completed before its scheduled completion date of Oct 22.
“Overall, it is due for completion by October this year, with about two months of work remaining,” he said during a site visit to the Batang Sejingkat Bridge here today (July 7).
Aidel said the remaining works are primarily focused on road construction, particularly on the Sejingkat side of the project, while works on the Tanjung Bako approach are nearing completion.
He described the bridge as the first major crossing under the Sarawak Second Trunk Road (STR) programme, adding that progress on both the bridge and the overall STR alignment has been encouraging.
“This is the first route under the Sarawak Second Trunk Road programme. The progress of the Batang Sejingkat Bridge and the entire Second Trunk Road is very good. In fact, some of the projects are ahead of schedule,” he said.
Spanning 1.2 kilometres from bank to bank, the bridge is being built to R5 standard as a dual two-lane carriageway.
Once operational, Aidel said the bridge will become one of the state’s key transport corridors, providing a new route for motorists travelling from Sarawak’s coastal and interior areas into Kuching.
“When this bridge is completed, it will become a main route for people travelling from the interior and coastal areas to Kuching through the Batang Sejingkat crossing,” he said.
He added that the bridge will also strengthen connectivity to the proposed Tanjung Embang development area, including the planned new international airport and deep-sea port.
According to him, the Sarawak government has already secured approval under the Fifth Rolling Plan (RP5) of the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) for a RM300 million bridge and road project linking the Tanjung Embang peninsula via Loba Batu Belat
.
“The project has been approved under RP5 of the 12th Malaysia Plan. It involves a RM300 million bridge and road network connecting the Tanjung Embang area,” he said.
Aidel said that the Batang Sejingkat Bridge is located less than 10 kilometres from the proposed Tanjung Embang development, making it a strategic piece of infrastructure to support future economic growth in the area.
He also said the opening of the bridge is expected to ease severe traffic congestion currently experienced by commuters travelling between the coastal districts and Kuching.
Following the opening of the Batang Lupar 1 Bridge, he said, traffic volume along routes from Asajaya and Sadong Jaya towards Samarahan and Kuching has increased significantly, with some journeys taking between three and four hours during peak periods.
“When this bridge opens, much of that traffic will be diverted to Sejingkat. However, we must also plan additional road links into Kuching to prevent new bottlenecks from forming on the city side,” he added.
