Bad traffic keeps dragging on

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IT HAS been five months since the toll collection at the toll plazas on the Metramac Highway in Cheras have ceased but congestion is still on the rise.

Works Minister Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor announced on May 17 that the toll collection would be abolished seven years before the concession period for the highway was due to end, which is May 31, 2018.

The toll rates at the highway (Petaling Jaya and Cheras) were 50sen (Class 1 vehicles), RM1 (Class 2 and 3), 30sen (Class 4) and 50sen (Class 5).

According to regular users of the highway, many Cheras residents have opted to use the Metramac route after the abolishment.

“My husband uses the road on a daily basis at peak hours and he says the congestion is really bad because more people are using it,” said Belinda Kong from Bukit Segar, Cheras.

According to her, in the past, drivers who did not want to pay the 50sen preferred using shortcuts through residential areas to head to Petaling Jaya.

Another motorist, Toni Low, 36, said the abolishment of the toll collection was good especially since it did not help with the congestion.

“Even if I pay the toll I am still stuck in traffic, so for me it is better not paying at all. In the past, we had to endure a short queue to the toll plaza and after that we would get stuck again. Now the queue is gone but the jam is still there,” he added.

Removing all: Works are under way to tear down the Metramac Cheras-Petaling Jaya toll plaza.

M. Raji, 26, who lives near Taman Len Seng, said she could save a little money after the collection stopped but the congestion was still the same. When asked if the number of cars had increased, she said the congestion had not improved or worsened.

She said if there was an alternative route for her, she would prefer to use it instead of crawling through traffic for almost two hours to get to her office in Petaling Jaya.

“I remember one time, after the toll collection stopped, I got caught in traffic for two hours and 15 minutes on a rainy day, so for me it does not make a difference in terms of time,” she said.

One driver, R. Manimaran, 28, said he stopped using the highway after the toll collection ceased. He said he had found an alternative route with a more expensive toll rate but would rather use that than get stuck in traffic.

During StarMetro’s visit to the toll plaza on Monday, work to demolish the structure was still under way after two weeks.

One regular user, Hanif Abdullah, 40, said at night there would be congestion because several lanes would be closed to facilitate the demolition work.

“They are taking really long to complete the job, so many have to use the few remaining lanes that are open to traffic,” he added.

Malaysia Highway Authority, via MTD Group said that demolition works of Toll Plaza 4 and Toll Plaza 5 along East-West Link Expressway had started since Oct 12.

As such, there will be lane diversions carried out by the traffic management team to facilitate smooth demolition works throughout the implementation period. The demolition works is scheduled to be completed by Nov 11.

Motorists are advised to take heed of road signs and follow traffic rules when travelling at the work site.