Separate and conquer congestion: Juru-Sg Dua elevated highway to improve mainland Penang traffic flow by dividing local traffic from NSE

BUKIT MERTAJAM, Nov 1 — The Juru-Sungai Dua Elevated Highway project, announced in Budget 2025, is seen as an ideal solution to address traffic congestion while providing improved connectivity and comfort for road users in Penang.

Traffic in the area, particularly along the Seberang Jaya route, often experiences heavy congestion during peak hours in the morning and evening. Thousands of vehicles, including motorcycles, rely on the Juru-Sungai Dua route on the North-South Expressway (PLUS) for daily commutes.

Several routes between these areas are now overwhelmed by traffic, leading to congestion on PLUS (Juru-Sungai Dua), the Penang Bridge, and Perai.

Therefore, transport experts believe that the project, given the MADANI Government’s green light, will help resolve the road network system issues which have caused inefficient traffic dispersal.

Associate Prof Dr Nur Sabahiah Abdul Sukor, from the School of Civil Engineering at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), said that the Juru-Sungai Dua Elevated Highway Project is ideally positioned to address traffic congestion, especially in the Seberang Perai area.

Nur Sabahiah, a transport engineering researcher, said that traffic congestion along the Juru-Sungai Dua route has reached critical levels, particularly during peak hours in the mornings and evenings.

“This project will not only benefit Penang residents who commute daily to work but also help ease traffic congestion during holidays and festive seasons,” she told Bernama.

“However, it is hoped that the Penang government will also remain committed to improving public transport accessibility in the area,” she told Bernama.

She said that currently, road accidents along the existing highway have become a major concern, and the state government should aim to both reduce traffic congestion and enhance road safety.

Echoing Nur Sabahiah’s opinion, analyst and transport system expert, Abi Sofian Abdul Hamid, said that the project could enable more efficient traffic management while tackling the increasingly severe congestion issues.

“The Juru-Sungai Dua Elevated Highway project will undoubtedly assist in long-term traffic dispersal, which will positively impact users of this route,” he said.

Meanwhile, state Transport and Digital Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said the elevated highway would separate local traffic from direct northbound and southbound traffic.

“It will separate local traffic; vehicles heading to local areas, from direct northbound and southbound traffic. This will, to some extent, reduce the current congestion, as both types of traffic currently share the same road,” he explained.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in tabling Budget 2025 on Oct 18, announced several projects in Penang, including the Juru-Sungai Dua Elevated Highway, Penang Light Rail Transit (LRT), the expansion of Penang International Airport (LTAPP) and the Batu Kawan Industrial Park 3 project.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said that the project is expected to be implemented as a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), with PLUS and the Public-Private Partnership Unit (UKAS), in collaboration with several relevant agencies currently assessing its implementation.

Previously, Chow had requested the federal government to implement the project, due to the increasingly critical traffic flow; an issue raised with the Prime Minister during the Penang development briefing at Komtar in April. — Bernama