Penang Bridge
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Penang Bridge | |
|---|---|
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| Official name | Penang Bridge |
| Malay name | Jambatan Pulau Pinang |
| Locale | Penang Bridge |
| Carries | Motor vehicles |
| Crosses | Penang Straight, Malaysia |
| Longest span | 225m |
| Total length | 13.5km |
| Width | -- |
| Opening date | 1985 |
| Maintained by | PLUS Expressway Berhad Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd |
| Design | cable stayed bridge box girder bridge |
| Designer/clients | Government of Malaysia Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) United Engineers Malaysia Berhad (UEM) |
| Contractor/construction | Hyundai Engineering and Construction Company (Korea) Ltd United Engineers Malaysia Berhad (UEM) |
The Penang Bridge (Jambatan Pulau Pinang in Malay) E 36 is a dual-carriageway toll bridge that connects Gelugor on the island of Penang and Seberang Prai on the mainland of Malaysia on the Malay Peninsula. The bridge is also linked to the North-South Expressway in Prai and Jelutong Expressway in Penang. It was officially opened to traffic on September 14, 1985. The total length of the bridge is 13.5 km (8.4 miles), making it among the longest bridges in the world, the longest bridge in the country as well as a national landmark. PLUS Expressway Berhad is the concession holder which manages it.
Before 1985, transportation between the island and the mainland was solely dependent on the state-owned Penang Ferry Service that runs between Butterworth and George Town.
Similar to the ferry services in Penang, toll is only paid when heading to the island. There is no charge for leaving the island.
Currently, the Penang Bridge is being expanded from 4 lanes to 6 lanes to accommodate the increasing traffic on the bridge. A proposal for a second bridge, the Penang Second Bridge, has been approved by the Malaysian federal government and included as one of the Ninth Malaysia Plan national projects. Construction work of the new Penang Second Bridge began in November 2007, and the target completion date is before the end of 2010.
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] Chronology
| E 36 E36 expressway |
|
  PLUS Expressway Berhad  Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd (PBSB) |
|
| Length (kilometres) | 13.5 km |
|---|---|
| Direction | West→East |
| Start | Gelugor |
| Main destinations | Butterworth Perai Gelugor George Town |
| End | Perai |
| Construction dates | 1982 - 1985 |
| Road/Expressway joined | E 17Butterworth Outer Ring Road E 1 AH 2North-South Expressway Northern Route 3112 Jalan Perusahan Perai 1331Jelutong Expressway 1331Bayan Lepas Expressway 6Gelugor Highway |
| Asian Highway Network | none |
| Technical specifications | |
| Number of lanes | 4 lanes carriageway except in the central span where it is 6 lanes |
| Interchanges | 5 |
| Toll plazas | 2 (Enter bridge only) |
| P Layby | none |
| R&R Rest and Service Area | none |
| R&R Overhead Bridge Restaurant | none |
| V Vista Point | none |
| Highway tunnels | none |
| Type of roads | Highway bridge Tarmac |
| Toll systems | Open toll systems |
- Early 1970s - The idea to build a bridge linking Seberang Perai to Penang Island was initiated by the late Tun Abdul Razak, the second Prime Minister of Malaysia
- End of 1970s - The bridge was planned during the term of third Prime Minister, Tun Hussein Onn.
- 23 July 1981 - Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu announced that the Penang Bridge, Penang would be constructed using the cable-stayed concrete girder of the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge instead of the steel-tied arch in the style of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
- 1982 - Construction of the Penang Bridge officially began.
- 3 August 1985 - Official opening of the Penang Bridge by the fourth Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad. He drove across the bridge in a red Proton Saga (a national car), carrying the national flag to officiate the opening ceremony.
- 14 September - Penang Bridge was opened to traffic for the first time.
- 15 August 1993 - Penang Bridge is now managed by the highway concessionaries Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd
- 4 April 2007 - A bomb hoax found at the Penang Bridge caused the bridge to close for more than two hours (from 4:30 pm) and reopened to traffic at 7:00 pm after a bomb disposal squad declared it safe.
[edit] Bridge specifications[1]
- Overall Length: 13.5 km (8.4 miles)
- Length Over Water: 8.4 km (5.2 miles)
- Penang Island Viaduct & Approach: 1.5 km (0.9 miles)
- Prai Approach: 3.6 km (2.2 miles)
- Carriageway: 2 lanes per carriageway except in the central span where it is 3. Work to widen the entire bridge to 3 lanes per carriageway has begun.
- Height of Tower Above Water: 101.5 m
- Height of Bridge Above Water: 33 m
- Main Span: 225 m
- End Span: 107.5 m
- Other Span: 40 m
- Speed limit: 80 km/h
- Maximum Gradient: 3.0%
[edit] Features
The bridge has an SOS emergency feature and traffic CCTV. The Gelugor Complex Interchange is the largest highway interchange in Malaysia.
[edit] Toll rates
Since 1985, Penang Bridge has been a tolled bridge. The toll is charged as you enter the bridge from the mainland end towards Penang Island. There is no toll imposed for mainland-bound motorists coming from the island.
The first concession was a government body, the Malaysian Highway Authority. Since 1993, toll collection has been undertaken by a private concession company, Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd. However, On 1 September 2003, this company became a member of PLUS Expressway Berhad.
This table below is a list of toll rates for various vehicles crossing the bridge:-
| Class | Type of vehicles | Rate (in Malaysian Ringgit (RM)) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Motorcycles | RM 1.40 |
| 2 | Motorcycle with sidecars, cars including station wagon and commercial vehicles on three wheels | RM 7.00 |
| 3 | Lorries, vans and buses with two axles and four wheels | RM 12.00 |
| 4 | Lorries, vans and buses with two axles and five and six wheels | RM 25.00 |
| 5 | Vehicles with three axles | RM 45.00 |
| 6 | Vehicles with four axles | RM 60.00 |
| 7 | Vehicles with five and more axles | RM 75.00 |
- Note: Touch 'n Go is also available for light vehicles and motorcycles. Smart TAG lane are for light vehicles only. As part of the concessionaire's initiative to increase use of the more efficient electronic payment system, user with Touch 'n Go card (and Smart TAG) issued from Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd office will receive a 20% discount on the Penang Bridge toll.
[edit] List of Interchanges
This is a list of interchanges of the Penang Bridge.
[edit] Tun Hussein Onn Highway side
| km | Exit | Interchange | To | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E 1 AH 2NORTH-SOUTH EXPRESSWAY NORTHERN ROUTE NORTH Bukit Kayu Hitam Alor Star Seberang Jaya |
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| E 1 AH 2 NORTH-SOUTH EXPRESSWAY NORTHERN ROUTE | |||||
| E 36 PENANG BRIDGE (TUN HUSSEIN ONN HIGHWAY) |
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| PERAI INTERCHANGE | NORTHWEST E 17 1 BUTTERWORTH OUTER RING ROAD 1Perai 1Butterworth SOUTHEAST 1 137 BUTTERWORTH-KULIM HIGHWAY 1Bukit Mertajam |
Parcelo cloverleaf interchange | |||
| Railway crossing bridge | |||||
| EXIT 3601A EXIT 3601B |
PENANG BRIDGE INTERCHANGE | EXIT 3601A E 1 AH 2NORTH-SOUTH EXPRESSWAY NORTHERN ROUTE SOUTH Taiping Ipoh Kuala Lumpur EXIT 3601B 3112 JALAN PERUSAHAAN PERAI Perai Industrial Area |
EXIT 3601A Stacked expressway interchange EXIT 3601B Cloverleaf interchange |
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| E 36 PENANG BRIDGE (TUN HUSSEIN ONN HIGHWAY) |
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| E 36 PENANG BRIDGE | |||||
[edit] Bridge side
| km | Exit | Interchange | To | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U-Turn | U-Turn TUN HUSSEIN ONN HIGHWAY Perai Butterworth  TnG TAG iCustomer Service Centre |
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| Perai toll plaza (PLAZA A) (Enter bridge only) PBSB TAG TnG TnG POS RM (Cash) Opened toll system Pay toll |
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| Perai toll plaza (PLAZA B) (Enter bridge only) PBSB TAG TnG TnG POS RM (Cash) Opened toll system Pay toll |
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| P Perai toll plaza PBSB |
TnG TAG i Customer Service Centre |
Enter bridge only | |||
| U-Turn | U-Turn PENANG BRIDGE George Town Bayan Lepas TnG TAG iCustomer Service Centre |
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| Penang Bridge 13.5 kilometres |
Start/End of Bridge | ||||
| E 36 5 |
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| 5.1 - 5.9 | Penang Bridge | Central span Cable stayed bridge Six lane carriageway |
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| E 36 6 |
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| Penang Bridge 13.5 kilometres |
Start/End of Bridge | ||||
| EXIT 3602A EXIT 3602B EXIT 3602C |
GELUGOR INTERCHANGE | EXIT 3602A SOUTH 1331BAYAN LEPAS EXPRESSWAY Bayan Lepas Penang International Airport EXIT 3602B WEST 6GELUGOR HIGHWAY Malaysian Highway Authority Northern Regional Office Gelugor Jalan Gelugor Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) EXIT 3602C NORTH Jalan Tengku Kudin 1331JELUTONG EXPRESSWAY George Town |
Stacked expressway interchange | ||
[edit] EXIT 3602B Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) interchange side
| km | Exit | Interchange | To | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malaysian Highway Authority Northern Regional Office | ||||
| EXIT 3602B WEST |
UNIVERSITI SAINS MALAYSIA INTERCHANGE | 6GELUGOR HIGHWAY NORTH Gelugor Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) SOUTH Sungai Nibong Bayan Lepas Penang International Airport |
Trumpet interchange |
[edit] EXIT 3602C Jalan Tengku Kudin interchange side
| km | Exit | Interchange | To | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tesco Penang | |
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| EXIT 3602C NORTH |
JALAN TENGKU KUDIN INTERCHANGE | WEST P19PENANG MIDDLE RING ROAD JALAN TENGKU KUDUN Jalan Masjid Negeri |
Interchange from/to Penang Bridge and Bayan Lepas only | ||
 E 36 PENANG BRIDGEPLUS Expressway border limit |
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| 3113 JELUTONG EXPRESSWAY JKR and MPPP border limit |
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| NORTH 1331JELUTONG EXPRESSWAY George Town |
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[edit] Interesting facts
- Penang Bridge toll plaza (Prai) is the first toll plaza in Malaysia to introduce toll payment by Contactless Smart Card.
- Penang Bridge toll plaza (Prai) is the first toll plaza in Malaysia with smart card payment for all classes of vehicles.
[edit] Major events
[edit] Penang Bridge International Marathon
The Penang Bridge International Marathon is held every year since 1985.
Participants ran over the third longest bridge in the world - the Penang Bridge - and along a scenic coastal highway. This is the only time of the year when the bridge is closed for several hours.
The biggest run in the country incorporates a marathon, a half-marathon and a quarter-marathon. The Run catered both to serious runners and amateur ones. It promoted healthy living and built a sense of community.
This is in addition to trophies, finisher medals, certificates and prizes donated by sponsors. In the past, this has included air tickets, hotel stays and household electrical goods.
The run was jointly organised by the Penang Municipal Council (Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang) and Malaysian Highway Authority with the co-operation of the Penang Government, the Penang Amateur Athletic Association, the Penang Youth and Sports Department , University Science Malaysia, Penang Tourism Action Council and Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd.
For more information see also Penang Bridge International Marathon website
[edit] See also
- Penang Second Bridge
- Penang
- North-South Expressway
- Jelutong Expressway
- Touch 'n Go
- Smart TAG
- Road signs in Malaysia
- Malaysian Federal Roads system
- Malaysian State Roads system
- Malaysian expressway system
[edit] References
- ^ bridge details. Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd. Retrieved on 2007-12-21.
[edit] External links
- PLUS Expressway Berhad
- Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd
- Malaysian Highway Authotity
- Satellite Image of the Penang Bridge at Google Maps
- Penang Bridge Blog - maintained by Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd, the bridge's operator
- Penang Bridge - Penang National Landmark
- Penang Bridge in the Structurae database
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