No sinkhole along Butterworth highway, just cracks - operator

 

The highway stretch between the North Butterworth Container Terminal (NBCT) and Bagan Ajam toll plaza has been closed for inspection and ratification following cracks discovered on the road along the Butterworth Outer Ring Road (BORR).

Highway operator Lingkaran Luar Butterworth (Penang) Sdn Bhd general manager of operations Fadilah Taib told Malaysiakini that the closure was necessary to conduct a thorough inspection of cracks at KM7.9 towards the end of a flyover beside the NBCT.

“The cracks were discovered by our patrol team at about 6pm on Aug 1, and we closed the stretch at about 9pm after ensuring road users’ safety and to avoid traffic congestion during evening peak hours.

“We started our inspection at 9pm, and removed the tar to go down to check the slabs. We found that the concrete slabs were chipped off and proceeded to replace them,” she said.

The damage could have been caused by high tides from the nearby sea due to climate change, Fadilah said, adding that sand washed into the slabs could have also resulted in the chipping.

“We are checking the problem and also inspecting the whole 14km stretch on the BORR,” she added.

Inspection might take several days

Fadilah denied there was a sinkhole as claimed on social media after a photograph of the affected area went viral.

She said it would take several more days to conclude the inspection at the site before the closed stretch can be reopened to the public.

Lingkaran Luar Butterworth is also planning to conduct a similar inspection from NBCT toward the Prai toll plaza, she added.

“Road users’ safety is of utmost importance to us and we will ensure that BORR is safe for motorists.

“We are aware the closure of the stretch between NBCT and Bagan Ajam toll plaza had caused a massive traffic jam along the trunk road from the Butterworth town right up to the Royal Malaysian Air Force, which is about 5km long. We will expedite the ratification work to ease the traffic jam,” Fadilah said.

On the soil settlement at the Sungai Nyior toll plaza along the Butterworth-Kulim Expressway, which is about 100m away from the Prai River and Prai toll plaza, Fadilah said it was designed by the Public Works Department and handed over to them for operations.

“However, the soil settlement according to engineering aspects will stop at one point, but both the toll plaza structures are intact, so there is nothing to fear and motorists are safe to use the highways,” she added.

Recently, Malaysiakini highlighted the sinking ground issue at the Bandar Prai Jaya township in Prai, where there was more than a one-meter gap between the structures and the ground.

Similar problems were also found at Prai toll plaza along the BORR and Sungai Nyior toll plaza and the R&R complex along the coastline in Bagan Ajam. - Mkini