Sunday November 9, 2008 By PRISCILLA DIELENBERG TheStar
Work starts: The temporary jetty in Batu Maung built by China Harbour to facilitate logistics support for the building of the second Penang Bridge, suchas the construction materials, plant and equipment, and construction workers.
GEORGE TOWN: Construction has begun on the 16.37km sea portion of the 23km-long second Penang Bridge which will have a middle cable stayed span much like the present Penang Bridge.
The two viewing platforms that formed the “pearl” in the original design have been scrapped.China Harbour Engineering Company, which was awarded the letter of acceptance on Oct 20 for the first of three packages, began its work yesterday and is scheduled to complete the project by May 7, 2012.
China Harbour’s RM2.2bil contract for the first package covers the design and building of the main navigation span, which is a 475m-long cable stayed bridge, and the substructure and foundation works of the 15.9km approach spans.
The bridge will have a dual carriageway with two lanes and a motorcycle lane on each side. Its width will be 29.8m for the approach spans and 35.6m for the main navigation span.Speed limit has been fixed at 80kph, just as on the present bridge.
China Harbour’s managing director Sun Ziyu said that the RM2.2bil contract was RM100mil lower than the original tender price of RM2.3bil.He said the main reason for the lower contract was the decision by the project’s special task force in January to do away with viewing platforms.
He said another reason was the final contract allowed for variation of price (VOP) for base material such as fuel, cement and steel, and re-measurement of the piling works.
At the ceremony to mark the commencement of work at the Batu Maung site, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng hoped the construction would be completed ahead of schedule by end of 2011.
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