link across the sea

so finally the go ahead for a second link in penang had been given… thanks to the federal government for giving the nod.

2nd link? i thought it should be 3rd link, after the ferry service and the penang bridge. perhaps they mean only bridges, thus this coming-up bridge is consider 2nd bridge while the present penang bridge is the first bridge. well, i suppose if they by the ‘links’ here they meant only bridges, it is correct to consider this as 2nd link. but by right, if we are talking about government projects, using tax-payers money, for the public to use to cross from island to mainland and vice versa, then it should be consider as 3rd link.

the 2nd link which will connect at batu maung in the island and batu kawan in the mainland will cost a whopping RM3 billion, mind you. well the report said that when this idea was mooted in 1997, its estimated cost was between RM2 to RM2.6 billion but now it is already 2004, the cost might have risen to RM3 billion!

i tend to agree with CAP (consumers association penang) who stated that the 2nd link… er… 2nd bridge might only increase traffic volume. it’s a simple logic. as i mentioned before regarding PORR (penang outer ring road), even my uneducated 70 years old mother knows how to say “more roads, more cars coming in, more traffic”. (my blog on PORR – partially). instead of spending RM3 billion on a 2nd bridge, the govt. should look at improving the transport system (for a fraction of the 2nd bridge cost!). for one thing if transport system is improved tremendously, some people might not even drive to work/places, hence decreasing the traffic volume on the road.