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Wednesday, April 23, 2008

PENANG 2nd BRIDGE - Decide in Haste, Repent at Leisure


The announcement that the second bridge to Penang will be delayed on account of high costs and design factors sounds quite similar to the "Crooked Bridge" in JB.
Both mega-projects were launched with little serious thinking of budget constraints and good design. The main criterion was that the launch was with great fanfare and costly props.

There is an interesting write-up of the bridge project in this blog.

Now I don't own any land in Penang and I don't know anything about who owns what in Penang but just looking at the map of the proposed bridge, it seems that the bridge could be shortened by about half the proposed length if it is built to the north of GeorgeTown and making a more direct link to the Penang beach resorts with a coastal highway. That way it will reduce the traffic through the island.

The other design that could be re-looked are those two "boobs" in the centre of the bridge with what looks like Islamic domes etc. I reckon only one look-out is necessary and this could be an elevated design in the centre of the bridge. This means if you need to make a stop, you leave the bridge and go up the ramp to the look-out area.

This is what happens to projects that are launched without firm designs and open tenders.

Graphics: Thanks to the Star

3 comments:

yellowkingdom said...

I have always enjoyed reading your blog. You have always kept your message factual and constructive; except this :

"The other design that could be re-looked are those two "boobs" in the centre of the bridge with what looks like Islamic domes etc...."

"boobs" (slang)a woman's breast (often considered offensive; usually plural)

I get your point. May I suggest you rephrase the sentence so as not to offend religious sensitivities? Thank you.

yellowkingdom said...

Correct is, "...so as not to touch on religious sensitivities?"

H J Angus said...

yellowkingdom
thanks for your comments.

What I have written, I have written.
I write without much preparation and believe the phrases are not so offensive.

As for Islamic domes, it could be described as "Moorish design."