Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg officiated at the earth-breaking ceremony for the RM848-million Batang Lupar Bridge in Sebuyau today.
The bridge is one of the 11 major bridges which are being constructed and are scheduled to be ready by 2025 as the first of the three components of the Sarawak Coastal Road project which covers a total length of 896km.
The second component is to construct the “missing link” along Jalan Pasi, Sarikei/Tanjung Manis, Mukah, and involves the Batang Rajang Bridge, construction of the Kuala Kemena/Jepak Bridge and a proposed second alignment for Jalan Kuching/Samarahan which includes the construction of a bridge across Sungai Sarawak at Demak Laut.
The third component involves the upgrading and rehabilitation works of the existing coastal road. To date, there are 36 sub-packages involving a total sum of RM555 million.
Besides the Batang Lupar Bridge, the other bridges are the Batang Lupar 2 Bridge in Sri Aman; Batang Igan Bridge, Batang Paloh Bridge and Muara Lassa Bridge in Mukah; Batang Saribas Bridge and Sungai Krian Bridge in Betong; Batang Rambungan Bridge and Sejingkat Bridge in Kuching; Bintulu-Jepak Bridge Crossing Kuala Kemena in Bintulu; and Batang Rajang Bridge in Sarikei.
When completed, all 11 major bridges will replace ferry services in the state.
Prior to this, two other huge bridges, namely Batang Sadong Bridge and Batang Samarahan Bridge, were completed in October 2016 and June 2018, respectively.
The Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) state government under the leadership of the Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg believes that the construction of these bridges is vital for connectivity in the state.
When the bridges and the missing links are completed, travellers along the state’s coastal roads will not have to wait for the ferry services anymore.
Subsequently, their travelling time will be reduced.
What’s more important, Abang Johari has promised that all the bridges will be toll-free for the people.
Details of the 11 major bridges are as follows:
BATANG LUPAR BRIDGE
Stretching over 4.8 km long, the RM848 million Batang Lupar Bridge will become the longest river-crossing bridge in Malaysia.
It will be constructed next to the Triso Island, which will become an eye candy for passers-by.
When completed, the bridge will connect Sebuyau in Samarahan to Triso-Maludam-Pusa in Betong and subsequently replace the Sebuyau-Triso ferry services.
The project was initially approved by the previous Barisan Nasional (BN) federal government before it was cancelled by the Pakatan Harapan (PH)-led government during the latter’s tenure.
Since then, the GPS state government has fully taken over the project. Construction started on Jan 6 this year and Sarawakians can expect the bridge to be completed on Jan 7, 2025.
The contractor for the project is Perbena Emas Sdn Bhd.
BATANG LUPAR 2 BRIDGE
The 870m Batang Lupar 2 Bridge is an ongoing project. It is part of the construction of the 2.15km road to connect Sri Aman to Betong amounting over RM200 million.
Construction began on March 23 last year and the bridge is expected to be ready on June 9, 2024.
The contractor is Naim Gamuda (NAGA) JV Sdn Bhd.
BATANG IGAN BRIDGE
The RM285 million Batang Igan Bridge, which will link Daro to Mukah, will have an iconic cable-stayed design.
The State Public Works Department (PWD) has revealed Syarikat Kontrektor Wisma Sdn Bhd as the contractor and Perunding C.F as the consulting engineer. The Unit Head of Coastal Road and Second Trunk Road Unit (CSTRU) will lead as the project director.
The project components comprise a 1,439.26m-long two-lane single carriageway bridge with a vertical height clearance of 26m.
Construction began on July 24 last year and is set for completion by Jan 23, 2024. The earth-breaking ceremony was held on Sept 12 last year.
BATANG PALOH BRIDGE
The construction of the RM299 million Batang Paloh Bridge started on May 8, 2019 and it is expected to be completed on Aug 20, 2023.
The 1.7km long bridge will connect Tanjung Manis to Pulau Bruit and boost the socio-economic activities of the surrounding areas.
The contract was awarded to Hock Seng Lee Bhd (HSL) via open tender from the state government on April 16, 2019.
The scope of works for HSL is the construction of a 1.7km long reinforced concrete structure balanced cantilever bridge which includes substantial marine piling works using a 1500mm diameter steel pipe pile.
The other scope of works includes earthworks, geotechnical, drainage, pavement works and the associated mechanical and electrical works.
The chief minister officiated at the earth-breaking ceremony on Aug 22 last year.
MUARA LASSA BRIDGE
The RM598 million Muara Lassa Bridge project will be the second longest bridge in Sarawak after the Batang Lupar Bridge.
Construction began on March 22, 2019 and the bridge is expected to be ready on Aug 8, 2023.
When completed, the bridge will connect Daro to Pulau Bruit.
The project components include the construction of a 2.43km long two-lane single carriageway Balanced Cantilever RC Bridge; construction of a 0.67km of approach road (0.27km on Pulau Bruit and 0.40km on Daro side), and widening of 1.20km existing road on Pulau Bruit and 1.40km on Daro side.
The project management consultant is OPUS Consultant (M) Sdn Bhd and Project Consultant is Jurutera Jasa (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd.
Quantity Surveyor for the projects is FCH Quantity Surveyors Sdn Bhd and the contractor is Pekerjaan Piasau Konkerit Sdn Bhd.
The earth-breaking ceremony for the bridge was on Sept 8, 2019.
SUNGAI KRIAN BRIDGE
The RM75 million Krian Bridge will connect nearby coastal villages and towns such as Pusa, Sessang, Kabong, Nyabor and Selalang.
The contract was awarded by the state government to EPR (Kuching) Sdn Bhd.
The project’s main work components generally consist of two-lane single carriageway balanced cantilever bridge with four river spans (430m) and four approach spans at each end with a total length of 690m.
Construction of the bridge started on March 25, 2019 and is scheduled to be completed on June 21, 2022.
The earth-breaking ceremony for the bridge took place on June 11 last year.
BATANG SARIBAS BRIDGE
The RM375.5 million Batang Saribas Bridge will connect nearby coastal villages and towns such as Triso, Maludam, Samarang, Beladin, Kabong, Nyabor and Selalang.
The contract was awarded by the state government to Brooke Dockyard Wijaya Karya JV Sdn Bhd.
The project’s main work components generally consist of two-lane single carriageway balanced cantilever bridge with eight river spans and four approach spans at each end with a length of about 1.55km long.
Construction of the bridge started on June 3 last year and is scheduled to be completed on Sept 5, 2023.
BATANG RAMBUNGAN BRIDGE
Batang Rambungan Bridge is a dream of the late Chief Minister Pehin Sri Adenan Satem (Tok Nan), which is currently being fulfilled by his successor, Abang Johari.
Abang Johari, during the launching ceremony of the bridge on Nov 24, 2019, revealed that Tok Nan had several dreams but the bridge was one of his favourites as his constituency Tanjung Datu badly needed it.
“What he dreamt was for the Rambungan Bridge to link Kuching to three areas, namely, Lundu, Sematan and Telok Melano,” he said.
The RM98.5 million bridge is fully borne by the state government after it was scrapped by the PH-led government.
The design of the 560m long and 10m high Rambungan bridge is modelled after the San Francisco bridge (the Golden Gate Bridge) with its steel suspension cables.
The Rambungan bridge is a two-lane single carriageway cable-stayed bridge, comprising 320m of cable-stayed span, 80m of approach span on the Kuching side and 160m of approach span on the Lundu side.
Construction of the bridge started on Dec 17, 2019 and is expected to be ready on March 10, 2023.
The contractor of the project is Precious Credence JV Gezhouba Sdn Bhd.
SEJINGKAT BRIDGE
The 1.28km cable-stayed Sejingkat Bridge over Sungai Sarawak aims to provide better connectivity to the people in the surrounding areas.
It is part of the Kuching-Samarahan Expressway and the Kampung Kuap bridge project.
Construction began on Jan 6 this year and the bridge is expected to be ready on Jan 7, 2025.
The contractor is KACC Construction Sdn Bhd.
BINTULU-JEPAK BRIDGE
The RM467 million Kuala Kemena Jepak Bridge will connect Mukah to Bintulu and Kuala Kemena to Bintulu Town.
It will shorten the journey from Bintulu airport to Bintulu Town from 20km to about 6km.
The contract was awarded by the Sarawak government to PPES Works CCCC JV Sdn Bhd, a joint-venture between PPES Works (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd (PPES Works) and China Communications Construction Company (M) Sdn Bhd (CCCC (M)).
The cable-stayed bridge will be about 1.2km long, with a four-lane double carriageway.
Construction started on April 3, 2019 and is expected to be completed on July 9, 2023.
The earth-breaking ceremony for the bridge took place on July 22, 2019.
BATANG RAJANG BRIDGE
The 1.4km long and 26m high Batang Rajang Bridge is part of the construction of the 17km road from Jalan Pasi, Sarikei to Tanjung Manis, Mukah.
The whole project worth RM321 million will serve as the connector of the missing link between Sarikei and Tanjung Manis.
Construction started on March 22, 2019 and is expected to be completed by July 7, 2023.
The earth-breaking ceremony for the bridge took place on April 6, 2019.
The contractor of the project is Metrobite Engineering Sdn Bhd.
