A Traffic Impact Assessment (TIA) is required if an application involves high-impact developments such as high-density housing, new urban developments, and large-scale mixed developments.
Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Urban Development Datuk Len Talif Salleh stated that the preparation of a TIA study is necessary to assess and determine the impact on local traffic routes caused by a particular development.
“The TIA study also helps the government in making decisions and identifying the need for measures to address traffic congestion and improve road user safety,” he said.
He said this in response to Datuk Hamzah Ibrahim (GPS-Stakan) regarding consideration of traffic congestion issues when approving large-scale housing development proposals during the question-and-answer session on Wednesday.
Additionally, Len Talif said the state government will assess the suitability of proposed housing developments by referring to the area’s development plan and following current policies and guidelines.
“It must align with the planned land use zoning and not conflict with it.
“The government also considers several other aspects when evaluating all housing development proposals, particularly
- Availability of road networks.
- Availability of utility facilities, especially water and electricity supply..
- Housing density.
- Provision of open spaces.
- Provision of public facilities depending on the size of the development area.
- Sarawak Urban Stormwater Management (SUSTOM) facilities.
- Other aspects depending on the specific development proposal.
“The government will also consult technical departments and agencies such as the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba), Natural Resources and Environmental Board (NREB), and Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM), depending on the scale, location, and other factors of the development,” he added.
In the meantime, Len Talif stated that the state government has implemented and is currently implementing several steps to ensure that long-term housing development is stable and well-planned, such as planning to provide local plans that will be developed comprehensively for major cities in Sarawak.
“This includes the Samarahan Local Plan as a reference and guide in regulating land development, covering aspects such as housing, road networks, utilities, and more.
“Developing the most efficient public transportation system, such as the Kuching Urban Transportation System (KUTS), which is still in the implementation stage.
“This will encourage the use of public transportation, especially in Kuching and Samarahan,” he added.
