Penang Bridge

The Penang Bridge (Jambatan Pulau Pinang in Malay) 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. Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd (PBSB) is the concession holder which manages it. The bridge was designed by a local Penang resident, Tan Sri Datuk Professor Ir. Chin Fung Kee, a well known authority in geotechnical engineering and former acting Vice Chancellor of the University of Malaya.

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 2008, and the target completion date is year 2013.

Recently, the Penang Bridge was assigned its own route number of Шаблон:MES-E.

Route background

The Kilometre Zero of the expressway starts at Perai Interchange of the Tun Hussein Onn Highway.

History

Chronology

  • Early 1970s - The idea to built a bridge linking Seberang Perai to Penang Island was suggested by the late Tun Abdul Razak, the second Prime Minister of Malaysia.
  • Late 1970s - The Penang Bridge was planned during the term of third Prime Minister, Tun Hussein Onn.
  • 23 July 1981 - Works Minister 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 fourth Prime Minister, Dato Seri Dr Mahathir Mohammad.
  • 14 September 1985 - Penang Bridge is officially opened to traffic.

Current developments

Penang Bridge Widening Project

When the bridge was originally constructed, the central span had six lanes, while the rest of the bridge had four lanes. There is an ongoing project to have the entire bridge widened to six lanes. Work on the project began on January 2008 and is expected to be completed in late 2009.

Penang Bridge Widening Project on You Tube

Bridge specifications

  • 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%

Features

The bridge has an SOS emergency feature and traffic CCTV. The Gelugor Complex Interchange is the largest highway interchange in Malaysia.

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 (MHA). Since 1993, toll collection has been undertaken by a private concession company, Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd.

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.

Шаблон:-

List of Interchanges

This is a list of interchanges of the Penang Bridge.

Tun Hussein Onn Highway side

km Exit Interchange To Remarks
Шаблон:MES-E Шаблон:AHN-AHNORTH-SOUTH EXPRESSWAY NORTHERN ROUTE
NORTH
Alor Star
Permatang Pauh
Шаблон:MES-E Шаблон:AHN-AH NORTH-SOUTH EXPRESSWAY NORTHERN ROUTE
PLUS Expressways border limit
Шаблон:MES-E PENANG BRIDGE
(TUN HUSSEIN ONN HIGHWAY)
PBSB border limit
Шаблон:MES-E
0
PERAI INTERCHANGE NORTHWEST
Шаблон:MES-E Шаблон:JKR BUTTERWORTH OUTER RING ROAD
Шаблон:JKRPerai
Шаблон:JKRButterworth

SOUTHEAST
Шаблон:JKR BUTTERWORTH-KULIM HIGHWAY
Шаблон:JKRBukit Mertajam
Parcelo cloverleaf interchange
Railway crossing bridge
Шаблон:MES-EXIT
Шаблон:MES-EXIT
PENANG BRIDGE INTERCHANGE Шаблон:MES-EXIT
Шаблон:MES-E Шаблон:AHN-AHNORTH-SOUTH EXPRESSWAY NORTHERN ROUTE
SOUTH
Kuala Lumpur
Ipoh
Bukit Tambun

Шаблон:MES-EXIT
Шаблон:JKR JALAN PERUSAHAAN PERAI
NORTHWEST
Perai Industrial Area
SOUTHEAST
Juru
Шаблон:MES-EXIT
Stacked expressway interchange

Шаблон:MES-EXIT
Cloverleaf interchange
Шаблон:MES-E PENANG BRIDGE
(TUN HUSSEIN ONN HIGHWAY)
Шаблон:MES-E PENANG BRIDGE

Bridge side

km Exit Interchange To Remarks
U-Turn U-TURN
Шаблон:MES-E TUN HUSSEIN ONN HIGHWAY
Perai
Butterworth

Шаблон:Parking signs Шаблон:TnG TAG
Perai toll plaza (PLAZA A)
(Enter bridge only)
PBSB
Шаблон:TAG Шаблон:TnG Шаблон:TnG POS Шаблон:RM
Opened toll system
Pay toll
Perai toll plaza (PLAZA B)
(Enter bridge only)
PBSB
Шаблон:TAG Шаблон:TnG Шаблон:TnG POS Шаблон:RM
Opened toll system
Pay toll
Шаблон:Parking Layby signs Perai toll plaza
PBSB
Шаблон:Parking signs Шаблон:TnG TAG Enter bridge only
U-Turn U-TURN
Шаблон:MES-E PENANG BRIDGE
George Town
Bayan Lepas

Шаблон:Parking signs Шаблон:TnG TAG
Penang Bridge
13.5 kilometres
Start/End of Bridge
Six lane carriageway
Шаблон:MES-E
5
Penang Bridge
5.1 - 5.9 Penang Bridge Central span
Cable stayed bridge
Шаблон:MES-E
6
Penang Bridge
Penang Bridge
13.5 kilometres
Start/End of Bridge
Six lane carriageway
Шаблон:MES-EXIT
Шаблон:MES-EXIT
Шаблон:MES-EXIT
GELUGOR INTERCHANGE Шаблон:MES-EXIT NORTH
Jalan Tunku Kudin
Air Itam
Шаблон:JKR JELUTONG EXPRESSWAY
George Town

Шаблон:MES-EXIT WEST
Шаблон:JKRGELUGOR HIGHWAY
Шаблон:LLM office
Gelugor
Jalan Gelugor
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)

Шаблон:MES-EXIT SOUTH
Шаблон:JKR BAYAN LEPAS EXPRESSWAY
Bayan Lepas
Penang International Airport Шаблон:Airport signs
Stacked expressway interchange

Шаблон:MES-EXIT Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) interchange side

km Exit Interchange To Remarks
Шаблон:LLM office
Шаблон:MES-EXIT
WEST
UNIVERSITI SAINS MALAYSIA INTERCHANGE Шаблон:JKR GELUGOR HIGHWAY
NORTH
Gelugor
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)
SOUTH
Sungai Nibong
Bayan Lepas
Penang International Airport Шаблон:Airport signs
Trumpet interchange

Шаблон:MES-EXIT Jalan Tunku Kudin interchange side

km Exit Interchange To Remarks
Tesco Penang Шаблон:Parking signs
Шаблон:MES-EXIT
NORTH
JALAN TUNKU KUDIN INTERCHANGE WEST
Шаблон:JKR(P) PENANG MIDDLE RING ROAD
JALAN TENGKU KUDIN
Jalan Masjid Negeri
Air Itam
Interchange from/to Penang Bridge and Bayan Lepas only
Шаблон:MES-E(2) PENANG BRIDGE
PBSB border limit
Шаблон:JKR JELUTONG EXPRESSWAY
JKR and MPPP border limit
NORTH
Шаблон:JKR JELUTONG EXPRESSWAY
George Town

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.

Major events

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

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

References

Шаблон:Reflist

External links

Listed in the following categories:
Post a comment
Tips & Hints
Arrange By:
Patrick Tan
8 December 2013
When the bridge was expanding, they should make it 4 or even more lanes rather than 3 lanes! Its freaking jam during jam during office hours and brings danger to motorcyclist who riding towards island
Jai Othman
29 January 2012
Hello Penang! Herewith some facts bout this iconic bridge. Length 13.5 km, opened in 1985. Before 1985, transportation between d island n mainland was solely dependent on the state-owned Penang Ferry.
Asraf Hanafi Spears
15 February 2018
Sunset and sunrise here is so lovely
Mars Jaeger
12 November 2016
GET RM2 off toll fare discount when using the bridge if you stay or work in Penang. just apply at PLUS office near the bridge
Ami Kamerami
13 September 2017
In the 80s you can park your car on the road shoulder,go out & enjoy the view without kena saman????????
Nicky Haznick
25 June 2016
..too bad that penang municipal don't wanna keep this sea clean from rubbish..you can see debris started 'round this island and goes to open seas..
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foursquare.com
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