Thursday 8 November 2012

JALAN UTARA IN PETALING JAYA BADLY NEEDS A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE


THE stretch along Jalan Utara in Petaling Jaya near the Asia Jaya LRT station is in dire need of a pedestrian bridge or designated crosswalk.

Every day, people are seen crossing the road haphazardly at the risk of getting knocked down by oncoming traffic.

If you are getting off the LRT from the Asia Jaya station and want to cross over to other side of Jalan Utara or vice versa, it is so dangerous because the traffic is constant and pedestrians can also be seen jumping over the metal barrier in the middle of the road.

Graphic designer Daryl Lim, 24, from Sungai Buloh, who used to commute to Petaling Jaya to attend PJ College of Art & Design in Jalan Barat said he hoped the local government would do something about this problem.

“This area is quite troublesome for commuters. During peak hours, you can see a big crowd waiting for the traffic to clear to get to the other side of the road,” he said.

Lim added that the lack of proper infrastructure here could invite untoward incidents.

“They should build an overhead bridge here,” he suggested.

Asmaa Mod Nor, 26, a customer service officer, said crossing Jalan Utara at night was scary because some parts of the road do not have proper lighting.


“Also, the cars zoom by really fast. I hate to see anyone getting hit while crossing the road,” she said.

An expat engineer from India, Jaya Prakash, 31, who has been living in the area for one-and-a-half months, said a lot of cars speed along Jalan Utara, which makes it difficult for pedestrians.


Based on observation, members of the public who get off the bus that stops near the ramp on the Federal Highway (near Jalan Utara and Jalan Barat) face a challenge to cross over to the other side, especially during peak hours.

Meanwhile, when contacted, Petaling Jaya City Council public relations officer Zainun Zakaria said the council would look into the need to build an overhead pedestrian bridge or a push-button traffic light in the area.

“We did a study in the area and found that the heavy traffic occurs only during certain hours in the morning and evening.

“While taking into consideration the needs and safety of the public, we still need to check if building a pedestrian bridge is really necessary,” said Zainun.- The Star

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