Smoother ride on city roads

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of RM3.5 million was utilised by City Hall to upgrade and maintain two stretch of roads in the city centre this year.

City Hall’s deputy director for project implementation and maintenance Mohd Najib Mohd said the council had used polymerenhanced stone mastic asphalt (SMA) in place of the usual asphaltic concrete mix for road works in Jalan P.Ramlee and Jalan Changkat Thambi Dollah.

“The polymer-enhanced SMA has a longer service life and has better skid-resistance,” Mohd Najib said during a walkabout session with reporters in the area yesterday.

During the walkabout, Mohd Najib also pointed out many manhole covers had been replaced with pre-cast compress concrete slabs.

“Previously, manholes were covered with steel covers but more often than not, the covers are stolen. So, we have been gradually replacing the steel covers with pre-cast compress concrete slabs in our efforts to make pedestrian walkways safe.

“The pre-cast compress concrete slabs cost RM200 per unit and so far 30 per cent of man-holed roads in the city have been covered with the slabs.

“We are also going to ensure that new projects carried out in the city will use the slabs instead of the steel covers,” he said.

Mohd Najib said City Hall incurred a loss of more than RM1 million due to the stolen steel covers.

“In 2008, 2,030 steel covers were stolen. In 2009, 1,382 were stolen. In 2010, 1,148 were stolen and this year, until Oct, 1,037 were stolen,” he said.

Mohd Najib also said City Hall has fixed hot-dip galvanised iron or anti-climb fence along 12km of roads along Jalan Raja Laut and Jalan Sultan Ismail.

He said the council had tarred 117 km of roads in the city this year in areas like Jalan Raja Chulan, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Jalan Duta, Jalan Brunei, Jalan Petaling, Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock and Jalan Bangsar.

Mohd Najib added that next year, the council plans to use RM60 million for upgrading and maintenance works in the city.