Vehicle users who pass by Jalan Tambun can soon heave a sigh of relief as there will be no more traffic lights at the route when the upgrade project involving the junction to Jalan Persekutuan 240 (Ampang-Jelapang) till the junction of Taman Perpaduan reaches completion this September.
Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said the collaborative project to upgrade Jalan Tambun between the Ipoh City Council (MBI) and Sunway City Ipoh Sdn Bhd is aimed to ease the traffic at the route in line with the rapid development of the area of Sunway City Ipoh.
“We express our gratitude to Mayor Dato’ Rumaizi Baharin and Tan Sri Dr. Jeffrey Cheah as the Chairperson of Sunway Group. The joint collaboration involved an allocation of RM8 million from the state government and RM8.35 million from the Sunway Group to cover the cost totalling RM16.35 million. The project will be implemented along the 5.2km route,” he stated.
According to him, the upgrade involves the replacement of five existing junctions with traffic lights to U-turns at three identified locations.
It also involves installation of LED street lights, road resurfacing, installation of road safety facilities and the upgrade of the existing drainage system to curb flash floods.
He said so during the groundbreaking ceremony of the upgrade project this morning (January 10).
Present were Member of Parliament for Tambun and also Youth and Sports Minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu; Mayor, Dato’ Rumaizi Baharin@Md Daud; Chairperson of Sunway Group, Tan Sri Dr. Jeffrey Cheah; Executive Councillor for Infrastructure, Energy, Water and Public Transport, Datuk Mohd Zolkafly Harun and state assemblyperson for Hulu Kinta, Muhammad Arafat Varisai Mahamad.
Saarani said that the project was previously postponed due to the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO), although the briefing on the project was done during the State Executive Council Meeting in early 2020.
“The State Executive Council had taken the necessary steps and it should have begun in 2021, but construction works had to be postponed due to the MCO,” he explained.
He added that with the current situation of recovery, the project has been continued and is scheduled to complete fully in September 2022.
He also said that the project is able to benefit the economic development of the state, Ipoh and the parliamentary area of Tambun.
“In the past, there were several traffic lights and it contributed to the frequent road congestion here.
“Without these traffic lights in the future, it can ease traffic and reduce the rate of carbon emission as the more vehicles wait at the traffic light, the more gas is emitted,” he added.
Rosli Mansor
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