Friday, March 2, 2012

Solving the EDL CONUNDRUM?


I don't think any JB businessman or motorist agrees that the EDL tolls should be collected at the CIQ.Unless you happen to have a share in the EDL project.
It is really unthinkable that anyone could have come up with such a devilish scheme. It is similar to you going to a mamak restaurant and when your bill arrives, you find they have charged you double the billed amount in order to subsidise the swank restaurant promoted by the Tourism Board next door. In other words, you are being made to pay for services NOT rendered.

If you look at the diagram of the EDL route, it is divided into 2 sections, the 3.7km Grade Section in red and the 4.4km Elevated section in blue. It is therefore possible to install Singapore-type toll gantries in each section so that tolls can be collected from motorists who actually use the EDL.
Such a system would take perhaps 3 months to install and may even make use of existing road structures that can be reinforced to take some extra loading.

The toll for the entire stretch should be not more than RM2.60 each way that is comparable to tolls in Klang Valley. Perhaps the split should be RM1.00 for the Grade section and RM1.60 for the elevated section.
With a non-stop toll collection system, motorists will have a fast track to the CIQ from Pandan.

My only fear is that the queue at the CIQ is going to be more chaotic than at present!
It appears that our RM2bil CIQ is being used as an expensive parking lot for the staff. Cars are parked along the drive and restricting the space for travellers with problems and also easier movement of cars. I consider these parked cars of staff a security problem.

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