Johor Bahru Transportation Plan

[dengilo]

Any kind of rail link between this 2 countries should be by a dedicated bridge not via the causeway. or they might consider undersea tunnel.In my lifetime i still would like to see the causeway gone!

[nazrey]

Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex in Johor Bahru
image hosted on flickr

Johor Bahru - CIQ by DerFussi, on Flickr

[sc4]

Sourced from: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp...26657&sec=asia

Thursday November 3, 2011

COMPANIES on both sides of the Causeway will this month be invited to bid for the right to undertake an architectural and engineering study of the proposed Singapore-JB MRT link.

The feasibility study is expected to take a little over two years to complete, and will cover details such as the alignment of the line, the size of the stations, whether it should be a surface or an undersea connection, construction methods and cost.

A notice inviting firms to take part in the tender appeared in Malaysian newspapers yesterday.

But Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) said the notice was a little too early, as the tender had yet to open.

Singapore Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew said during a visit to Putrajaya early last month that both countries would put out a tender at the same time, inviting firms to bid.

It is learnt that the tender will open this month and engineering consultancy firms are looking forward to it.

Rajan Krishnan, senior vice-president (Asia) of Parsons Brinckerhoff, which has conducted several infrastructural feasibility studies here, said: “There will be interest among consultants doing these kinds of studies.

“We look forward to the tender documents to see the exact terms.’

John Davies, director of infrastructure at engineering group Arup, said: “Of course we’re interested. We’ve done a number of cross-border studies of this kind in Hong Kong and we’re quite familiar with them.”

Talks of an MRT extension to Johor Baru date back as far as 1989, soon after the first MRT trains started rolling here.

But it was not until May last year that the plans were made concrete, following a land swap deal between Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his Malaysian counterpart Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

It was then announced that there would be a metro link between the two countries by 2018.

During his visit to Malaysia last month, Lui said the project was “on time and on track”.

The link is expected to be an extension of the Thomson MRT Line, which is also scheduled for completion by 2018.

It is expected to run from a station near JB Sentral in Johor Baru to one near Republic Polytechnic in Woodlands – the Thomson Line’s northernmost stop.

The cross-border link will feature combined customs, immigration and quarantine facilities in both Singapore and Johor Baru.

This means commuters will need to clear immigration only once per trip.

Engineering studies for the underground Thomson Line are under way. The line will run along the north-south corridor from Wood*lands to Marina Bay.

While the LTA said the line would have four-carriage trains, it said the length, the number of stations and the location of stations were still not confirmed.

However, it has been confirmed that the Thomson Line will interchange with the North-South Line at the Woodlands station. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

[TWK90]

Interesting report from China Press.

http://www.chinapress.com.my/node/238613

- JB MRT planned to be completed in 2018

- Terminus will be built at Kempas

- Station interval distance will be 1 km each

- Stations will be located in Nusajaya, Ulu Tiram, Pasir Gudang, Kulai and Senai Airport.

- Singapore to build MRT that is connected to the JB MRT

- However, many issues still need to be considered at this moment

- The terminus in Kempas will be similar to those in KL Sentral, with shopping centre, food centre and connection to taxi, bus and LRT.

- On Singapore side, station will be in Woodlands, near to the Republic Polytechnic

[nazrey]

Woodlands Train Checkpoint, a new Malaysian KTMB railway terminus beginning July 1.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wo...Checkpoint.jpg

[dengilo]

Sad sight!

[nazrey]

Malaysia, S'pore to call for rail link tender
Published: 2011/11/16
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_New...#ixzz1dpzbvNxr

Malaysia’s Land Public Transport Commission and Singapore Land Transport Authority will jointly call for the tender for the architectural and engineering consultancy services to develop possible alignments and proposals for the rapid transit system link.

The tender will be called on Nov. 18 in both Singapore and Malaysia, the two transport bodies said in a joint statement today.

The link is aimed at boosting connectivity between Iskandar Malaysia in southern Johor state and Singapore, it said. -- Bloomberg

[dengilo]

They can jolly do whatever and whenever as long as its linked by a TUNNEL.

[SingaporeCity]

Originally Posted by nazrey

Malaysia, S'pore to call for rail link tender
Published: 2011/11/16
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_New...#ixzz1dpzbvNxr

Malaysia’s Land Public Transport Commission and Singapore Land Transport Authority will jointly call for the tender for the architectural and engineering consultancy services to develop possible alignments and proposals for the rapid transit system link.

The tender will be called on Nov. 18 in both Singapore and Malaysia, the two transport bodies said in a joint statement today.

The link is aimed at boosting connectivity between Iskandar Malaysia in southern Johor state and Singapore, it said. -- Bloomberg

Hi guys, I am very excited about this rail link. Can I check whether anyone has the latest update on the possible location of the stations. How many stations will there be on the Malaysian side.

[rizalhakim]

the future Singapore-JB MRT??
http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/st...nds_to_jb.html

[LoveArki]

saw this diagram long long time ago... not true. The JB-Singapore MRT will be extend from Woodlands MRT, not from the Orange line.

[Mith252]

Actually, it would start from a station right next to Republic Polytechnic. It is the terminal point for the Thomson Line which also includes Woodlands MRT.

[felcon05]

Originally Posted by rizalhakim

the future Singapore-JB MRT??
http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/st...nds_to_jb.html

wowo singapore side got so many station but malaysia side only a few station !! ..

[nazrey]

Study being done on undersea tunnel to link JB and Singapore
Sunday November 20, 2011
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp...723&sec=nation

JOHOR BARU: A study is being done on the feasibility of constructing an undersea tunnel to link Singapore and Malaysia.

Iskandar Regional Development Authority chief executive officer Ismail Ibrahim said the tunnel was likely to be about 1km long, slightly shorter than the Causeway.

“By going underwater, there is no need to tear down existing structures above the sea and there will be less disruption to movement between Johor Baru and Singapore,” he told The Star.

The Causeway, which is about 1.056km long, was completed in 1923 and links the city here to Woodlands on the other side of the Straits of Johor. Between 80,000 and 100,000 vehicles use it daily.

Johor and the republic are also connected via the Second Link, a dual three-lane carriageway linking Tanjung Kupang to Tuas in Singapore. The bridge is about 1.9km long.

Ismail said detailed engineering study on the tunnel would be conducted by consultants appointed by both governments.

He said both Malaysia and Singapore had yet to determine the cost of the tunnel, which would not be parallel to the Causeway.

[goBetong]

Look like sometime during 1st Q 2012, we will have to pay another TOLL of $M9.10 whenever we drive across the causeway, either way !!!


New Causeway toll likely fodder for Pakatan in Johor
By Shannon Teoh December 07, 2011

The Causeway serves 69 million people annually. — Picture by Calvin Teo
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 7 — A new toll for the Causeway next year making it six times as expensive for roundtrips between Johor Baru and Singapore is set to be a major election issue in the Umno bastion and birthplace of Johor.
The Malaysian Insider understands project owner Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad (MRCB) has proposed a RM9.10 toll in each direction for passenger vehicles using its RM1 billion Eastern Dispersal Link (EDL) highway from the Causeway to the immigration post.

However, the Umno-linked company is using an open toll system that charges the full fare at the new Custom, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) checkpoint regardless of where motorists exit or enter the highway — the latest facility for the ambitious Iskandar zone that celebrates its five-year anniversary this weekend.

The rest of the 8.1km stretch leading to the Pandan interchange of the North-South Highway will be free to local motorists.

With Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak set to call a general election soon, sources said Putrajaya may be forced to delay or subsidise the toll that could be up to six times the current charge for roundtrips across the one kilometre bridge spanning both countries.

MRCB officials briefed the media and local stakeholders yesterday ahead of plans to launch the highway and tollbooths built at the CIQ complex in the first quarter of 2012.

The Malaysian Insider also learnt that local business leaders were concerned that, with the new CIQ already taking Singaporean tourists away from downturn Johor Baru, the EDL will see them skip the more inland Tebrau area as well.

Taxi drivers also called for an exemption as it would otherwise be unfeasible to ferry passengers across the Causeway.

When contacted by The Malaysian Insider, an MRCB spokesman said “we cannot comment on the toll because that is up to the government.”

However, the spokesman confirmed that toll will be levied on vehicles heading in both directions across the Causeway but local motorists within Johor be able to use the EDL free of charge.

“MRCB insists it won’t be major election issue but they refuse to make any statement on pricing. It will be suicide for the government to introduce the toll before elections,” a source close to the project told The Malaysian Insider.

Over 50,000 vehicles cross the bridge daily, mostly Malaysians living in and around the state capital who commute to the island republic to work.

Johor Baru’s economy is also heavily reliant on Singaporeans who cross the Straits of Johor to enjoy cheaper prices there. Putrajaya set up the Iskandar zone five years ago to turn Johor Baru and its surrounding region into an economic growth area catering to the spillover from Singapore.

Cars and lorries exiting Singapore and heading into Johor now pay RM2.90 and RM5.50 respectively to use the bridge while motorcycles, which make up more than half of traffic across the Causeway, are exempt from the toll.

Singapore’s Straits Times reported in 2008 that the toll charges for the EDL will range from RM6.20 for passenger vehicles to RM12.40 for lorries entering Malaysia.

But with commuters being charged the combined fare in both directions, roundtrips on the 88-year-old bridge will cost five times more.

The English-language daily reported that rates will be raised every three years of the 30-year concession and will peak at RM14.60 for passenger vehicles and RM29.20 for lorries.

It also said the Causeway served 69 million person trips annually, nearly four times the annual traffic at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, and that 75 per cent of the passenger cars crossing the bridge were Singapore-registered vehicles.

“It is a foregone conclusion that businesses in JB will be hit hard,” Johor Baru Small-Medium Enterprises Association president Teh Kee Sin told The Malaysian Insider.

Johor Baru MP Datuk Seri Shahrir Samad also said that “Malaysians working in Singapore will be upset” and called for the current RM2.90 fee to be abolished once the EDL is operational “as there is no logic to pay two different fees to use the same road.”

PKR held its national congress in Johor a fortnight ago, calling it a signal that it is ready to take over the state despite not winning a single seat in the Umno fortress at the last general election.

Although Election 2008 saw Pakatan Rakyat (PR) deny Barisan Nasional (BN) its customary two-thirds majority of Parliament and five state governments, Johor saw the ruling coalition sweep all but six state and one federal seat out of the 56 and 26 at stake respectively.

Umno MPs Shahrir and Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed from the neighbouring Pulai constituency retained their seats with comfortable 25,349 and 20,449-vote majorities respectively.

[ilyasr2]

Originally Posted by goBetong

Look like sometime during 1st Q 2012, we will have to pay another TOLL of $M9.10 whenever we drive across the causeway, either way !!!

What's $M? Mozambique dollar? I thought the Malaysian currency is RM...

[dengilo]

Infact why not make it RM$ 10!If they can guarantee me smooth crossing during peak hours i dont mind paying if not second link still my fav.

[Arkdriver]

Holy cow 9 ringgit, better start looking for cheaper alternatives now. Maybe no more jusco tebrau for me for weekend shopping.

[dengilo]

S$5 too much ahh?Never mindlah u guys can take boat go batamlah for shopping

[gabriellim]

Originally Posted by dengilo

S$5 too much ahh?Never mindlah u guys can take boat go batamlah for shopping

How true, it's about time building a bridge to link Temasek to Batam, Batam to Bintan, Bintan to Lingga. Then we can drive our Kancils from Johore to wisata all the historical territories of Johor Riau and Riau Lingga.

There's already bridge between Batam, Rempang, Galang and Galang Baru, constructed during Habibie's presidency.