Malaysian Cabinet approves $3.2b Elevated Autonomous Rapid Transit project to ease JB traffic
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Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke said that while waiting for the project to be implemented, plans are in place to prepare for expected traffic congestion.
ST PHOTO: TARYN NG
JOHOR BAHRU – Malaysia’s Cabinet has approved the RM10 billion (S$3.2 billion) Elevated Autonomous Rapid Transit (E-ART) project to ease traffic congestion in Johor Bahru, said Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
The federal government needed time to deliberate on the project as it involves a substantial sum, he added.
“The Cabinet has just approved the RM10 billion project. Some have said we are slow, but of course, we need time to review it. The amount involved is not small,” he said at the Pakatan Harapan Convention in Johor Bahru on May 17.
Mr Loke said that while waiting for the project to be implemented, plans are in place to prepare for the traffic congestion expected once the Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link begins operations in 2027.
Previously, Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the delayed roll-out of the proposed E-ART system could worsen traffic congestion in Johor Bahru.
He said the project, proposed almost two years ago to help disperse traffic, has yet to show progress despite rising concerns over traffic flow.
Slated to start in January 2027, the RTS Link will have the capacity to transport up to 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction, linking Bukit Chagar in Johor and Woodlands North in Singapore in approximately five minutes. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
