Dangerous junction in Air Itam raises concerns

A newly installed rectangular road divider in Air Itam, Penang, is causing safety concerns for residents and road users.

Motorists are ignoring traffic regulations to take shortcuts, creating dangerous situations.

A driver who declined to be named, said, “The corner is extremely dangerous for road users, especially when cars suddenly rush across the road at the bend and cannot be seen by the oncoming drivers from the opposite side of the road.

Traffic violations and Air Itam resident concerns

The divider, located at the junction of Jalan Pisang Rastali and Jalan Pisang Embun, is being used as a makeshift roundabout by some drivers.

This not only flouts traffic rules but also endangers others on the road. Residents report near misses and express worry about potential accidents.

Air Itam assemblyman Joseph Ng Soon Siang confirms receiving complaints and forwarding them to the relevant authorities.

 “Although the area is under the jurisdiction of Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR), we always forward our complaints to MBPP so that they can liaise with JKR.

“Actually, road users should adhere to the traffic rules. Before Sunshine Central was completed, it was a triangular divider, but after that, it became rectangular in anticipation of heavier traffic in that area,” he said.

Sunshile Central is a mixed-development project comprising various components, namely luxury serviced apartments (Sunshine Residence), a shopping mall (Sunshine Mall), a hotel (Sunshine World) and an office tower (Sunshine Tower).

He explains the rationale behind the divider’s design and the potential traffic issues if access points were closed.

Police data, however, reveals only one accident reported on Jalan Pisang Rastali in the past year, with none on Jalan Pisang Embun.

This may not fully reflect the perceived danger, as residents suggest near misses and risky manoeuvres are frequent.

Proposed solutions and conflicting views

Residents have proposed increased police presence, particularly during peak hours, and even a one-way road system as potential solutions.

While some residents acknowledge the safety concerns, others admit using the shortcut themselves, highlighting the frustration with longer routes.

“You can see many vehicles crossing the road where they are not supposed to. I use this road every day to travel to and from work, and nearly got hit several times,” said one resident.

“Perhaps the police should monitor the traffic around the area, especially during peak hours. Sometimes, not a minute goes by without motorbikes or cars breaking the rules,” said Mohan Veerasamy, 58, a Safety and Security Manager who lives on Jalan Pisang Embun.

“It is indeed very dangerous for road users and homeowners, like us. Many accidents have occurred here, and it is also dangerous to cross the road.”

Mohan also expressed worry that something untoward would happen if nothing was done to improve the situation. “Perhaps the authorities could consider making this into a one-way road,” he suggested.

However, another resident who is a retiree, also commented, “When Sunshine Central was built, nobody came to discuss with us.

Anyway, I must admit, I sometimes do use the shortcut too. I mean, who wants to go one big round just to arrive at either Jalan Thean Teik or Jalan Kampung Pisang?”

Despite the apparent danger, the Timur Laut OCPD, ACP Razlam bin Ab Hamid revealed that only one accident was reported over the past year for Jalan Pisang Rastali while no accidents have been reported for Jalan Pisang Embun.

Balancing resident concerns about safety with traffic flow is crucial.

Finding a solution that discourages dangerous shortcuts while maintaining reasonable travel times will require further discussion and collaboration between authorities, residents, and traffic planners.