Aidel: Serian-Gedong-Samarahan dual carriageway project includes provisions for future ART route, utility corridors
by Rachel Purai Lihan · Borneo Post OnlineKUCHING (April 8): The Serian-Gedong-Samarahan dual carriageway project is progressing ahead of schedule, with physical works currently at 7.77 per cent completion.
A Sarawak Public Communication Unit (Ukas) report quoted Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development Datuk Aidel Lariwoo as saying the project is 4.31 per cent ahead of its scheduled progress of 3.46 per cent.
He said the project not only aims to increase road capacity but is also envisioned as a modern mobility corridor to meet future demands.
“The project entails the development of a dual carriageway equipped with a bicycle track, along with provisions for future infrastructure including an Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) route and utility corridors on both sides,” he said during a working visit on Tuesday.
He said the project involves upgrading the existing road from a two-lane R3 standard to a four-lane R5 standard, as well as the construction of a 40-metre reinforced concrete bridge and the installation of energy-efficient street lighting.
The approximately 18km dual carriageway linking Serian and Gedong is expected to reduce travel time to about 18 minutes at a speed of 120km per hour.
In the long term, he said the project is anticipated to serve as a catalyst for rural development while supporting the state government’s aspiration to establish Gedong as an agricultural hub.
It is expected to benefit more than 14,000 residents in surrounding areas, including Kampung Rayang, Munggu Kopi, Tanah Puteh, and Sebemban.
The project is also expected to energise local economic activities, create business opportunities, and reduce transportation costs for the community.
Valued at approximately RM1.9 billion, the project comprises five construction packages and forms part of the second main state road network connecting Samarahan to Tanjung Embang.