The Second Penang Bridge is on track for completion by September next year, said Jambatan Kedua Sdn Bhd (JKSB) managing director Dr Ismail Mohamed Taib.

He said the physical works for the bridge was now 88.5 percent complete and targeted to achieve 90 percent completion by year-end.

NONE “We are on track to complete the bridge next year ahead of schedule by two months, in September next year,” he told a media conference at the Second International Seminar on the Design and Construction of the Second Penang Bridge in Kuala Lumpur today.

Ismail said the development cost for the construction of the new bridge was RM4.45 billion.

The traffic projection for the bridge was 25,000 users per day, he added.

“It will take us a long time (to recover the construction cost). At least 20 years. But we are trying to save money in the construction and financial cost.

“We don’t want to trouble the government. As far as possible we are trying to be independent,” he said.

second penang bridge 091108 artist impression The Second Penang bridge will be a seismic-resistant bridge when completed. It can withstand tremors of a 8.2 Richter-scale earthquake with an epicentre at about 300km away.

The seminar was officially opened by Works Ministry secretary-general Himmat Singh.

Upon completion, the 24km-long bridge, of which 16.9km will be over water, will become the longest bridge in South-East Asia.

It will also become the longest bridge in the world that incorporates the High Damping Rubber Bearing (HRDB) application in its construction.  

The two-day International Seminar on the Design and Construction of the Second Penang Bridge, beginning today, is jointly organised by JKSB and the Malaysian Highway Authority.

The seminar involved 13 technical working papers on the design and construction of the Second Penang Bridge.

- Bernama