"Satu Lagi Projek Oleh BN" that doesn't work: Traffic management a real flop

The on-going closure of KL city's SMART tunnel owing to two days of torrential rainfall has exposed the failed traffic crisis management capacity of the government.

It is most frustrating to clock four arduous hours just to cover a fifteen kilometre distance driving into the city centre.

Cost billions and yet useless!

The closure of the SMART tunnel that was built at immense tax payers expense to help alleviate the traffic congestion and to manage flood water diversions has created kilometre after kilometre of almost stand-still traffic jams on all roads and highways and expressways leading into the city these two days.

What is most concerning here is the national time wastage, the affected productivity index, the loss of fuel, rubber and wear and tear of hundreds of thousands of vehicles and above all the fact that road users were being left high and dry with no options but to be imprisoned in their vehicles for unending hours on their way to work and business.

As our public transport system leaves much to be desired, driving and riding to and from work is the only option for millions of workers daily. This is a perennial need and episode in our lives in this 'fast developing nation' that BN has been championing and trumpeting.

But when emergency works have to be carried out on a seemingly SMART tunnel, what have the authorities done to plan, implement and monitor alternatives to alleviate the crisis that potentially ensues when critical routes or avenues are closed?

No police deployed to disperse the traffic congestion

It is alarming to not see a single cop helping to direct the ensnared traffic. It is unbelievable that the only seeming help rendered is the radio station announcements telling listeners that the roads are chocked and that they should avoid all entry points into the city or find alternate routes.

One wonders where are all the toll operators? What are they doing to help manage, monitor and contribute to the management of the crisis and the crisis communication knowing full well that there will be a massive grid lock on their roads?

It is obvious that we never learn. We are good at grand launching of mega projects. We are great at screaming "Satu Lagi Projek Oleh BN" with each facility built but that is all to it. Nobody worries about the potential crisis management and communication needs that will spring up each time a system or service buckles.

We have 2.5 million Rela men in the works. But we could not have enough cops to manage the ease of flow of traffic in needy times. That is sad and the Prime Minister needs to be reminded of this 'mistake' by BN too.

But apologies will not avert such national loss of productivity and resources. We need to have adequate traffic crisis management and communication plans operational.

Common sense

Here are some suggestions as it is conclusive that common sense thinking is almost zerorized by all those who should be responsible for traffic management.

Firstly, do away with all those decorative and aesthetically planned road dividers that cost the tax payer far too much to maintain and only serve the authorities to collect more money through selling the space for advertising and promotional messages. Instead be practical, and just have divider lines. This will enable traffic managers to quickly utilise the entire extend of road widths optimally and with flexibility.

Further, do not attempt to deceive the world by planting trees and flowers on kerbs and adding to the loss of useful space for motoists. We would be far better off in the greening efforts by ensuring that timber concessions are curtailed and timber robber barons are booked.

Stop the indiscriminate rape of our forests and not pretend to make the road sides look more green.

Secondly, deploy traffic cops at all intersections, U-turns and junctions. Work towards increasing the presence of traffic personnel at shorter lengths on the roads to help address constipating chokes that arise as vehicles crawl bumper-to-bumper.

Their increased presence would also help ensure that motorcyclists do not aggravate the situation by weaving in and out of lanes at high speeds.

Thirdly the authorities must design build a collaborated and cooperative network with all parties for an effective communication loop that is crucial in managing traffic. This also calls for making it compulsory for toll operators to put up mobile electronic message boards well in advance and ahead of driving into their 'one-way' highways / expressways. It will enable road users to strategically map out options and not pay the toll and end up sitting ducks in their vehicles in heavy jams.

Fourth, the authorities should stop getting away with excuses like 'we are not as worst as Bangkok jams' or volunteer saying 'all cities in the world suffer the same problem'.

Widely travelled citizens will tell the authorities to stop this propaganda lies. In many cities around the world, although traffic is dense, the efforts taken to ease the flow is easily witnessed. The traffic cops, the road authorities, the local councils, the air wave operators - all of them work in a collaborative manner in their crisis communication and thereby are able to manage crisis situations effectively.

Hopefully BN will take note of this neglected problem and finally do something and not appeal with an apology for their mistakes again.

Malaysia Chronicle