BUKIT MERTAJAM, JUNE 23 — The Penang State Government, through the state Public Works Department (JKR), has devised several short-term and long-term solutions to improve road safety on Jalan Berapit here, following complaints from the public regarding safety issues in the area.
The chairman of the state Infrastructure, Transport and Digital Committee, Zairil Khir Johari, said that among the short-term measures that will be implemented is painting the road lines with yellow transverse bars and red rumble strips to provide a visual warning and vibration effect to drivers to slow down.
“In addition, the installation of road signs including stop signs, no entry signs, directional signs and accident area warnings is also proposed to increase the level of awareness among road users,” he said in a statement today.
He said that Jalan Berapit is a route under the supervision of the state Public Works Department and is subject to the Road Technical Instructions (ATJ), therefore, the proposed construction of a hump at that location is not permitted due to safety factors and legal implications.
Zairil said other measures that were also proposed were painting yellow box lines to ensure smooth traffic at intersections, painting pedestrian crossings to improve the safety of local residents, and installing barrier posts or bollards to prevent motorcycles from encroaching on pedestrian walkways.
For a long-term solution, Zairil said, the state Public Works Department will submit an official application to conduct a Road Safety Study to identify blackspot areas and assess appropriate engineering treatment methods.
“Among the proposals that will be examined through the study is the implementation of a Left-In/Left-Out (LILO) system which only allows movement in and out to the left to reduce high-risk crossing movements.”
“Other suggestions include the construction of road medians as physical separators between opposing traffic flows to reduce the risk of head-on collisions and control vehicle movement in a more orderly manner,” he said.
However, he said, all the proposals are subject to approval by the technical committee based on existing guidelines and Road Technique Instructions.
Zairil also reminded road users to always drive carefully, obey the set speed limit and practice a responsible attitude when on the road.
He said road safety not only depends on the infrastructure provided, but is also influenced by the level of discipline and concern of each driver.
“A careful driving attitude is a key factor in preventing accidents and protecting the lives of other road users,” he said.
— BERNAMA
