Wan Agyl Wan Hassan, founder of the transport think tank MY Mobility Vision, suggested that construction work on the link be carried out at the same time as that for the island line.
He pointed out that the Penang Bridge is already stretched beyond its limits, especially during peak hours.
“More than 10,000 vehicles cross the bridge in both directions daily. Easing the congestion is vital for the state’s economic growth,” he told FMT.
Wan Agyl’s proposal is in line with an appeal by Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow to the federal government for construction on both portions of the project to proceed concurrently.
In MRT Corp’s blueprint, work on the island line, which will link Komtar in George Town to Bayan Lepas on the southeastern part of the island, will begin this year and is slated for completion in 2030.
However, there is no word yet on when work on the cross-channel link will begin. The cross-channel link is to run from the McCallum Street coast on the island and end close to the oil depot on the mainland, near the old ferry terminal.
All the necessary approvals have been secured for the island line, which is officially considered a priority.
Wan Agyl pointed out that delays caused by heavy traffic on the bridge hurt workers, businesses and by extension the economy.
“A cross-channel rail link will offer Penangites a reliable and efficient alternative to cars and motorcycles,” he said.
He said improving traffic flow in areas such as Bayan Lepas will not ease the systemic gridlock on the Penang Bridge, which is still the main lifeline between the mainland and the island.
“Focusing on the cross-channel link will be a bold move and a transformative solution to Penang’s connectivity problems,” he added.
However, Wan Agyl also cautioned that while having work on both phases proceed at the same time could cut costs and quickly resolve the traffic congestion problem, poor management could lead to funding risks and delays.
“Even as work on the island line starts, preparation must already begin for the cross-channel link. Case examples from cities such as Bangkok and Singapore prove that concurrent development is possible with strong project management,” he added.
He said preparatory work on the cross-channel link should begin at once to prevent delays in creating an integrated transportation network.
Universiti Putra Malaysia vice-chancellor Farhan Sadullah said better public transport services should be introduced now to ease congestion on the bridge if funds are not available yet for the LRT project.
“But first, we have to decide whether the objective of the LRT is to ease congestion on the island or to tackle the traffic problem on the bridge,” Farhan, who specialises in transport issues, told FMT.
The island line of the LRT project, expected to cost RM10 billion, will run over a distance of 29km with 21 stations including those in Komtar and Bayan Lepas.