Why is road under 2nd Penang Bridge sinking? – Ravinder Singh

Subsidence in one part of the road under the second Penang Bridge. – The Malaysian Insider pic, January 26, 2014.The part of Lebuhraya Dr Lim Chong Eu which passes under the ramps of the second Penang Bridge was closed to traffic after the ramp under construction collapsed last year. It was reopened to traffic about two months ago.

Within these two months, part of the road on either side of the pillar where the ramp collapse occurred has sunk.

This causes vehicles to bump up and down as they drive over this stretch and if they are fast, could cause them to veer to the left or right and collide into the railing or other vehicles. 

The road subsidence will be getting more and more and thus, poses a danger to traffic, especially fast traffic.

Similar subsidence is not noticeable beside the other pillar in the distance in the photo.

So what is causing the subsidence at the foot of this pillar? On June 11, 2013, the Star carried a photo showing a large pool of water almost touching the foot of this pillar and a question was raised whether the water-logged soil could have caused soil movement and destabilised the scaffolding standing on it, leading to the collapse of the ramp just metres away from this pillar.

Obviously, the soil at this spot is soft and is getting compressed under the weight of the vehicles passing over it.

Why was this not properly assessed and remedied before the road was built over it? 

Good engineering should ensure that a new road does not start sinking within weeks of being opened to traffic. 

The report on the collapse was supposed to have been ready by October.

If it is ready, why has it not been made public yet? – January 26, 2014.

* Ravinder Singh reads The Malaysian Insider.