The Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) held a press conference at its headquarters on Jalan Raja Laut yesterday to discuss traffic and access arrangements in the lead up to the KL City Grand Prix (happening next weekend from August 7-9). Race organiser GT Global Race was also present at the briefing.
As many KL folk will have noticed, there’s a lot happening in certain parts of the capital as construction of the 3.2 km counter-clockwise street circuit is well underway. Crash barriers, resurfaced roads and redirected traffic flows have sprouted along major roads in the city, which has caused confusion and dissatisfaction among the public.
These works, explained GT Global Race, are usually carried out overnight, with infrastructure placed in such a way as to minimise or avoid any disruption to day-to-day traffic, access and operation as much as possible. With the barriers and debris fences in place, gaps have been left for vehicle access to all properties, and footpaths have remained opened.
As the event draws even closer, access points will be fitted with gates or other similar infrastructure that will allow them to be closed at the last minute before racing commences. The company also explained that up until the week of the race and afterwards during the dismantlement of the circuit, access to all properties and around the circuit should not be affected any more than through regular construction work around KL.
How long after the race before things go back to normal? GT Global Race CEO M. Arrasu said that dismantlement work will begin as soon as the race is over, with the roads opened by 6 pm; within three weeks, all traces of the race will have been removed.
As for concerns regarding the boarding of buses and taxis with the barriers up, chairman Tunku Naquiyuddin Tuanku Ja’afar said that it was no different from other street circuits, pointing to Monaco as a notable example.
The KL City Grand Prix circuit will make use of roads around the KLCC area, going through Jalan P. Ramlee, Jalan Ampang, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Jalan Raja Chulan and Jalan Perak – a portion of those roads will be opened from 6 am to 6 pm, but due to the infrastructure placed, Jalan Perak and Jalan P Ramlee will only have limited overnight access, while the portion of Jalan P Ramlee from Jalan Sultan Ismail to Jalan Perak (which houses one of the grandstands) will be closed from 7 pm on August 6 until 5 am on August 10.
Details on the roads affected by the circuit and traffic management plan for the entire course of the race weekend below.
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this jokers nothing better to do…chaos chaos
This so-called track more like one “go-kart circuit” la
a very bad planned event…
It brings inconvenience to visitors to KL
I live in KLCC & prior to the commencement of erecting the barriers along the roads I saw little in the way of information regarding the disruption.
The junction of P. Ramlee & Jalan Pinang is chaos, the pedestrian crossings & traffic lights have all been removed. At certain times of the day it take take forever to get across the road & when you try you are taking your life into your own hands.
As where I live is completely enclosed by the race track how am I supposed to get to the other side? I do not see pedestrian routes displayed. The only two ways I can see of getting out is via Bukit Nanas Monorail station or by following the south side of Jalan Perak around to Wisma Cosway & using the elevated walkway. A long way around if I want to go 200m to Suria KLCC.
What is going to happen to the GOKL busses that stop at KLCC, Concorde hotel, Pavilion? Where will they be re-routed or just cancelled?
If this event is going to happen yearly until 2019 the organisers need to consider more the needs of the pedestrians & residents of the area.
There is an elevated walkway from Monorail Medan Tuanku to Maju Junction, why not have something similar linking Monorail Bukit Nanas, P Ramlee, KLCC with escalators at strategic points similar to the walkway between the Pavilion & Conference Centre?
You stupid! Always thinking to blame someone only… Stupid KL citizen.
Thong Ta Aik:
Thank you for your intelligent and well-constructed response, you must have been totally exhausted after expending so much effort to extend your point of view.
I am all for new and exciting events but as this is going to be covered by the international media I would like to see it portrayed as a success rather than a poorly planned fiasco that adversely effects residents, workers, business owners and tourists in a very bust part of KL.
I was hoping that my comments would be taken as constructive criticism and attract intelligent communications.
Let’s look at some very basis facts:
1. The race has not just effected the workers, residents and tourists for the three days during the race; construction has been on-going for weeks including road resurfacing causing noise at night. The disruption will also last for some time after the races are over.
2. I have still not seen any signage along the race route indicating the arrangements for pedestrian. I notice now though that there is a recently posted article showing five pedestrian crossing locations that will be opened six times a day. Some of the times are at 2am??
3. If KL has persons with the job designation ‘Road Safety Engineer’, they may wish to observe the intersection of Jalan P. Ramlee and Jalan Pinang during peak hours and see the struggle of the pedestrians trying to cross the road. Tourists look totally bemused by the whole thing. I know the counter argument will be the same as usual ‘This is Asia’. A video would make for interesting viewing on YouTube and Facebook!!
4. With the construction of an elevated pedestrian at the intersection of Jalan P. Ramlee and Jalan Pinang it would totally eliminate the need for traffic lights and therefore help to ease the congestion on P. Ramlee. Then if a way could be found to stop the kerb crawling outside the Beach Club, P Ramlee would probably be congestion free!! As it is estimated that half a million people are going to attend the race over the next five years I feel sure some of the revenue generated could be allocated to improving the infrastructure. In some countries it is illegal to cross the road anywhere except on a designated crossing. If that approach were adopted it would mean that for many stretches of the race circuit the concrete sections of the barriers could be left in place thereby saving time, effort, expense and disruption each time the races are held.
5. Please correct me if I am wrong, and I quite often am. On the only occasion that I thought to cross the road using the monorail as a means I seem to think my RapidKL card was deducted RM 1.20. Not a lot of money I know, but when there are potentially thousands of people needing to do it….. Again, please feel free to correct me if I am talking nonsense.
6. I have still yet to see any article or sign indicating what will be happening with the GOKL free buses. For many of the workers around Bukit Bintang and the Paviliion, the free buses are probably an essential means of transport. Even with the greater capacity of the new monorail trains it seems hard to believe that they can accommodate the overspill if the buses are reduced.
I look forward to reading your response, but I don’t hold must hope of receiving anything much more than an illiterate insult.
I live at Soho Suites on Jalan Perak and I have to go to work on those 3 days. If there isn’t access to my building and the street, not only can I not drive, but can’t take a teksi. Any suggestion for this huge inconvenience you’ve caused?
Road closure has already started yesterday without official announcement.