MIRI: The Public Works Department (JKR) has installed four new solar-powered radar speed billboards at several high-risk accident locations here.
These billboards have been placed near the entrance to Borneo Medical Centre (BMC), on the road leading to the Seahorse Monument Roundabout, opposite the Miri Road Transport Department, and in front of the JKR Miri Office.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin said these identified roads are areas prone to accidents, with speeding being one of the main causes.
“With this system, drivers can see their speed and are reminded to slow down and comply with speed limits.
“Through this tool, authorities can collect data on speed and the number of vehicles, and this data will be sent to a control centre for monitoring and analysis to enhance road safety in Miri.”
He said this at the launch of the newly installed solar powered radar speed billboards here on Thursday (Oct 31).
Lee, who is also the Senadin assemblyman, said the installation of the radar speed billboards is part of an ongoing project, whereby 28 traffic lights are upgraded with the Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System (SCATS).
He said the system allows the green timing of the traffic lights to be determined by the volume of traffic detected by sensors in real time.
“Preliminary before-versus-after studies have shown that routes in Miri equipped with the SCATS system achieve overall journey time reductions of up to 25 per cent, during the peak hours.”
He added the SCATS Smart Traffic Light Project is now nearly complete, with progress reaching 96.6 per cent and expected to be fully completed by this month.
