THE Penang government today said the location of the “underused” Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah Bridge was changed for political reasons.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the original location of the bridge, popularly referred to as the Second Penang Bridge, was further north.

“The question is whether the location of the bridge is right or not. It was supposed to link Persiaran Gurney and Bagan Ajam (in Butterworth).

“The bridge was shifted for political purposes,” he told a press conference when asked to comment on the first series of the Auditor-General’s Report 2017 finding the second bridge failing to meet its objective to ease traffic on the first Penang Bridge.

The second bridge, which opened to traffic in early 2014, links Batu Maung in the south of Penang Island and Batu Kawan in central Seberang Prai, had traffic volumes of 3.43 million in 2014 and 4.73 million in 2015.

The numbers pale in comparison with traffic figures on the first bridge linking Prai on the mainland and Gelugor on the island – 29.57 million in 2013, 28.83 million in 2014, and 29.93 million in 2015.

One reason for the lack of traffic on the second bridge is the lower populations in the areas linked by the infrastructure. It is known that the Batu Kawan township is still developing with housing projects just coming up.

Chow also said there has to be proper connectivity to divert traffic from the first bridge to the second bridge.

He said projects like the Pan Island Link 1 and 2 provide direct links to the second bridge.

“Today, if you are travelling from George Town to the second bridge, (the most direct route) you use still passes the first bridge.

“You will also likely be stuck first in the jam that leads to the first bridge, unless you divert and use other roads to get to the second bridge,” Chow said.

He also said the development of three man-made islands in the proposed Penang South Reclamation off the southern coast of Penang island would encourage higher traffic for the second bridge. – August 7, 2018.