SMART Project (5)

"Water seepage is common in any project if it is below the water table…”

I’m no civil engineer, and know nuts about longkang and stuff, so perhaps I had to take it as it is, that anything we build, cracks and water leakages are to be expected (even expect later to pay for more just to find out what went wrong before fixing it). But…

"...If motorists don’t think the road is safe, don’t use it. If they think the motorway can help them avoid congested stretches in the city and they think that the road is safe, pay the toll and use it,”

This sounds bloody arrogant to me.

Then one day it was quoted that it cost RM1.9b to build it and before you can say “BLINK” it’s now RM2.1b. One day earlier it was supposed to divert 90% of the floodwater and the next day someone else announced that it will only deal with 45% without even blinking his eyes.

So will you be surprised if KL were to flood again?

The only promise they keep so far is the Toll Collection. They even promised to increase again in 3 years’ time!

-hs

SMART Project (4)

So now they found pool of water in the middle of the tunnel? I'm sure they'll say it's nothing to worry about, probably just one of those leakages either from the roof (!?) or toilets... teething problems-lah... and it must be somebody else's faults. hmmm...

-hs

SMART Project (3)

It’s finally opened for traffic on May 14 – just over 1 month off the targeted date. I think that’s quite ok.

I took advantage of the ‘one month toll-free’ period and tried out the tunnel. Perhaps it was due to the earlier hypes of the media and publicity and my expectations set a little too high, the experience was a bit of disappointment to me; low ceiling, narrow, twisty, dim, grayish… couldn’t help but had this feel of claustrophobia. Digging the tunnel and all that may cost RM1.9b but I’m no engineer so I’d expect something more cangih, at least visually?

Never mind my opinion, anyway. It may not really that important to look pretty. But do I see if it has served it purposes? The road surface above the tunnel around Jalan Tun Razak is still filled with potholes; the manholes with protruding covers they intentionally placed in the middle of the roads look like a permanent features to me and traffic is still as bad.

SMART Tunnel entrance on Jun 11

Now that even the toll rate has been decided at RM2 a pop (even a raise forecast has already been worked out!) and the cash registers are ready to sing 11.59pm tonight, cars are still queuing bumper-to-bumper outside the tunnel and the rain on last Sunday didn’t help either. Although someone said it would have been just another rainy day if the tunnel were in full operation, I can only say ‘we’ll wait and see-lah’. It’s not tested yet. Just look at what they said about it easing the traffic earlier.

It's raining in KL.

Just another rainy day

All pictures taken from The Star Online.

-hs

SMART Project (2)

Few months back the opening of the SMART Tunnel was one of the hot topics amongst the politicians; looks like it's gonna be a success story so who can blame them for riding on it and gain some mileage?

So some told the newspaper it's going to open by April 7, and I even remember April 30 was mentioned too. Toll rates is another good thing to make some pages. 'Hey let's organize a Tunnel Run'!, Free Trial, and all that craps...

Today's May 2, 2007. The tunnel is yet to be opened (doesn't even look to me it'll be opening in the next 2 weeks). It looks the same to me as it was in February: the potholes on top of the tunnel project are still there; pools of water are still there after an earlier rain; the traffic lights are still as moody when they are needed most during peak hours.

Everyone seems to be extremely quiet these day! Everyone just conveniently forgets about what has been said earlier! Never mind, take your time I'd suggest. Judging from the 'standard' of the road surfaces on top of this multi-billion $$ project, a delay is just another day's job.

No need to rush-lah.


-HS

SMART Project (1)

This is a typical scene on a rainy day in the KL City: pools of puddle on the road, covering all the potholes making driving even more difficult (unless you are driving on a 4-wheel-drive) thus slowing down traffic tremendously; broken down traffic lights don’t help either. 30 minutes just to pass a 300m stretch is not uncommon especially during peak office hours.

Q: What can make you feel worst?

A: When you actually got stuck in this situation on top of a RM1.9b, "SMART Tunnel" Project - A storm drainage and road structure, which was dubbed “a major national project” in Malaysia. Once completed, it is said to be the longest stormwater tunnel in South East Asia and second longest in Asia. Malaysia Boleh!

This project was even featured in Discovery Channel’s Extreme Engineering recently. I haven’t got a chance to watch this program, but I’m pretty sure this was not shown in the documentary…

Q: If one can come up with such multi-billion Ringgit brilliant ideas, then how difficult it will be to manage potholes and simple drainage systems beside the roads on the surface? And why, manhole covers have to be built right in the middle of the roads? Cars and bikes tend to avoid such uneven road surfaces even on dry condition thus endangering all the road users.

A: Pay toll to use the new SMART Tunnel. Malaysia Boleh-lah!

-HS