By Valley View by ELAN PERUMAL | Dec 30, 2009

Traffic woes plague folk

Daily snarl: Motorists inching their way on the Kota Bridge in Klang.

TRAFFIC issues continue to be pertinent and pressing issues faced by the people.

With the ever increasing number of vehicles on the roads, the authorities are being pressured to find solutions for the chaotic traffic situation that is disrupting people’s daily lives.

In efforts to ease the traffic problem, the authorities are bent on building highways, new links, bridges, underpasses, ramps and all kinds of structures that can ease the situation.

While many are already in place, more are being planned, especially in the Klang Valley.

Local authorities, on their part, are also juggling with the new traffic routes in their bid to ease the worsening traffic congestion in areas like Puchong, Subang Jaya and Klang.

However, all these seem to have failed.

Lack of proper planning for infrastructure development in the form of new roads, highways, bridges and flyovers has resulted in this situation.

New townships often do not have proper access roads and traffic routes.

Sadly, the local authorities, state government or even at the federal level, planning for infrastructure development is only done in order to ease existing traffic congestion and not to prevent future traffic problem.

Many times, we have seen how flyovers, bridges or ramps are only built after motorists in a particular area have endured years of ordeal.

People of Subang Jaya can vouch for this as the Subang-Kelana link is a classic example of this.

The traffic situation in Jalan Kewajipan, heading towards the Kesas Highway, has become from bad to worse during peak hours since the RM315mil link was opened in August this year.

Likewise, we have seen this happening in many places and often the bridges and fylovers have failed to solve the actual problem in the area.

Most will agree that the hassle on the road is in stark contrast to the improved quality of life and modern lifestyle of people now.

It is high time that the Government, including local authorities, realise that alternative mode of public transport must be provided to reduce traffic congestion.

While the extension on the existing LRT routes to as far as Subang Jaya is in the pipeline, the state government and the local authorities should be working towards creating an internal rail network to serve within their own areas.

Imagine, Subang Jaya having its own internal link that will run up to Puchong, Shah Alam its own rail network and one to serve the people of Klang, which is expected to be declared as a royal city in the near future.

Perhaps this internal links from Subang Jaya, Shah Alam and Klang could be linked to the main rail network.

As we have seen for ourselves, the LRT and Monorail have been successful as an alternative mode of public transport for people in some parts of the Klang Valley.

Without a doubt, the rail system has proven to be successful in many countries including Britain, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore.

The rail system can effectively reduce the number of vehicles on the road.

Until we reach such a level, the daily traffic ordeal will continue to exist in 2010 and beyond.