The East-West Highway (Jalan Raya Timur-Barat, or JRTB) is physically in good condition and it is safe to use, works minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi has said, reported Bernama.
“Physically, the JRTB is in good condition and safe for use,” Nanta told Bernama in a recent statement, and the works minister added that the road is classified as hilly terrain, and its alignment is designed to follow the contours of the Titiwangsa mountain range.
The statement from the works minister comes as the bus crash in Gerik that claimed 15 lives brought the East-West Highway into focus, as the East-West Highway has been criticised for its many hazards, the news outlet wrote.
The Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research was cited as saying that more than 80% of road accidents are caused by human behaviour – a preliminary report on the Gerik bus crash found that excessive speed was among the contributing factors – while infrastructure and road conditions accounted for just 13% of incidents, and the works minister said that the ministry has never neglected the maintenance of roads and infrastructure under its jurisdiction.
The JRTB is part of Federal Route 4 (FT4), connecting Gerik, Perak with Jeli, Kelantan. Based on the latest traffic census last year, the two-lane single carriageway remains at a good level of service, and its current configuration is able to accommodate the present traffic volume, the works minister said.
Opened in 1982, the JRTB sees a daily traffic volume of 1,409 vehicles, including 751 heavy vehicles which make up 31.2% of the volume.
The works ministry has formulated short- and long-term plans to ensure that maintenance of the JRTB can be carried out in phases in a sustainable manner, Nanta said. A special allocation has been set aside under the national budget for upgrading the JRTB, where key priorities include road lighting, resurfacing and improvements to safety systems, particularly in high-risk areas, he said.
For the short-term plan, RM55 million has been allocated for repair works along the JRTB, and implementation began in April, and completion is expected by early November this year.
Of this amount, RM35 million was approved for road resurfacing works at critical locations, while RM14.5 million is allocated for non-pavement works such as the replacement of guardrails, installation of warning signs at dangerous bends, construction of drains and repainting of bridge railings, Nanta told Bernama.
A sum of RM3.59 million has been allocated for lighting upgrades with the installation of solar-powered street lights in dark or high-risk areas, such as sharp bends and zones near residential areas. Meanwhile, RM4 million has been allocated for a pavement condition assessment to be carried out along the entire FT4 section in Perak, he added.
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as much as i am concerned about user safety i also would like to remind the one in power to consider the effect on wildlife in surrounding area. prior to the accident, we saw incidents of wild elephants incursion across the road. accident involving wildlife too is a concern as it may result in life loss and wildlife loss.