KL WALKWAYS & SKYBRIDGES | General News & Updates

[rizalhakim]

RM100mil allocation for walkways and skybridges with mini budget
By BAVANI M


THE federal government’s RM100mil allocation under the mini-budget for the construction of sky bridges and covered walkways between buildings around the Golden Triangle area is ‘’a gesture of goodwill’’ to the residents of Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Zulhasnan Rafique said.

“The main objective of the mini budget is to stimulate the economy and what better way to achieve that than by spending money on projects that will benefit the people and, at the same time, enhance the image of Kuala Lumpur as a world class city,” Zulhasnan said.

He added that the money would be used to execute existing plans that have been in the pipeline instead of drawing up new ones.

The minister added that the mini budget was crucial as the country approached a difficult period.


Already in place: The Pavilion skybridge provides pedestrians with a way to get to the KL Convention Centre.

“However, it is not a silver bullet and we must all play our part by focusing on the economy and cutting down on politicking,’’ he said.

Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Ahmad Fuad Ismail also said he was happy that the walkway project was finally coming through.

The mayor said that a meeting would be held next week to discuss the details of the project, but, for the time being, the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) had identified five locations stretching some 800 metres to build the walkways and bridges.

“We have already done the designs and are currently studying how to make it pedestrian and disabled friendly,’’ Fuad said.


"It is not a silver bullet and we must all play our part by focusing on the economy"- DATUK SERI ZULHASNAN RAFIQUE
The mayor said the project would be a joint collaboration between the DBKL and the private sector and once completed it would offer connectivity to offices blocks, malls, hotels, and train, rail and bus terminals.

The pedestrian bridge and sheltered walkway project was mooted back in the late 1970s. The government had then hired a Hong Kong-based British firm to carry out a feasibility study.

The project, under the Economic Planning Unit (EPU), involved the expertise of traffic and town planners from different parts of the world and would have come to fruition if not for the Asian Economic crisis.

The study involved 55km of connectivity – a system of pedestrian walkways and bridges that links up places like Bukit Bintang, Jalan Pudu, Sultan Ismail and Raja Chulan to the outer edges of the Golden Triangle.

It involved connecting pedestrian bridges and walkways along Jalan Bukit Bintang to Jalan Pudu, the Puduraya area, Jalan Raja Chulan, Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, Chinatown, Pasar Seni, Masjid India, Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Sultan Ismail, P.Ramle and other parts of the city where there is a high volume of commercial activities.

[rizalhakim]

KL folk happy with pedestrian boost

MOST city residents see the pedestrian move as a moral boost and welcomed it with open arms.

“It’s definitely a great step forward as it will not only be convenient for the public to hop from one building to another but is’s also a great way to boost tourism,’’ Sungei Wang Plaza promotions and public relations manager K.K Lim said.

Lim added that Kuala Lumpur was still far behind Bangkok in terms of connectivity.

“The allocation will greatly help elevate the appeal of Bukit Bintang as a tourist hub,’’ said Joyce Yap, president of the Malaysian Association for Shopping and Highrise Complex Management.

Yap, who is also the acting Pavilion Kuala Lumpur CEO, said the project would improve accessibility and connectivity to the golden triangle and will indirectly encourage people to walk.

Bukit Bintang MP Fung Kui Lun said he welcomed the news as it would not only boost tourism but would connect the missing link between Bukit Bintang and the KLCC area.

“It’s great news and definitely good for business,’’ Ancasa Hotel & Spa, Kuala Lumpur public relations manager Melinda Ambrose said.

“We have been hearing about this project for years.

“In fact, there was talk recently that the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) planned to build a RM20mil elevated walkway to connect the Menara Maybank, Ancasa Hotel, and the Cahaya Suria Shopping Centre with the Pudu Raya Bus Terminal and Chinatown,’’ Ambrose said.

Istana Hotel director of marketing and communications Hasma Ahmad also agreed that it was a good move.

Peter Tan, who has been using a wheelchair for more than two decades, however, hoped that the walkways and skybridges would be accessible for all.

“There has not been much improvement in facilities for the disabled and we hope that this would change,’’ Tan said.

City resident Shahjehan Safian also added that he was confident the move would help alleviate traffic congestion and also reduce the number of accidents.

[OshHisham]

Originally Posted by rizalhakim

Lim added that Kuala Lumpur was still far behind Bangkok in terms of connectivity.

“In fact, there was talk recently that the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) planned to build a RM20mil elevated walkway to connect the Menara Maybank, Ancasa Hotel, and the Cahaya Suria Shopping Centre with the Pudu Raya Bus Terminal and Chinatown,’’ Ambrose said.

huh. unfortunately Bangkok has a good overhead bridges even tho they are not that long.

and yes, we heard about the proposal as it was said that the project would be implemented in 2008 but until now, the same story goes again....

[choon]

Originally Posted by OshHisham

huh. unfortunately Bangkok has a good overhead bridges even tho they are not that long.

and yes, we heard about the proposal as it was said that the project would be implemented in 2008 but until now, the same story goes again....

Hope is not another joke of the day..

[rizalhakim]

More covered walkways for the comfort of commuters
Nuradzimmah Daim


Passengers will no longer be exposed to the elements with the construction of more covered walkways linking Light Rail Transit and monorail stations to shopping centres and bus stations.

KUALA LUMPUR: Good news are in store for city folk, especially those who depend on the public transportation system.

Mayor Datuk Ahmad Fuad Ismail said yesterday that there would be more covered walkways linking shopping centres and Light Rail Transit (LRT) and monorail stations.

He said discussions would be carried out with Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd on the plan.

Prasarana is a wholly-owned government company under the Ministry of Finance Inc, which was set up to own the assets of selected public transport companies.


This is part of the government's initiative to restructure the urban public transport system in the Klang Valley.

"Be it sunny or rainy, the public can walk to the shopping centres as well as bus stops or stations instead of having to hail a taxi when they alight from the trains.

"We also agreed that we need more overhead pedestrian bridges.

"This is also to encourage people to 'park-and-ride' as there are about 1.2 million cars on the city's roads every day. We will sit together with Prasarana to work out the details," Fuad said at a meet-the-press session yesterday.

One example of a covered walkway is at the Mid Valley Megamall where a pedestrian bridge links the KTM Komuter station to the shopping centre.

There are also plans to have more four-car trains to accommodate the high volume of passengers during peak hours.

"We are ordering 35 more of such trains for the Kelana Jaya line.

Meanwhile, we are looking at ways to provide a more integrated service and we are working closely with City Hall on it," said Prasarana group managing director Datuk Idrose Mohamed, who was also present at City Hall.

Idrose said more details would be released next month.

He said there were currently around 400,000 people who use buses and 500,000 who commute by LRT.

On the proposals to extend the Kelana Jaya and Ampang LRT line, Idrose said the design and route had been identified.

But the company was waiting for input from City Hall including on the population size and volume of cars before construction could begin.

It has been reported that the Ampang line will be extended from Bukit Jalil to Puchong, heading towards Subang Jaya and linking up with the Kelana Jaya line.

This will involve 32km of double track.

There will be 24 new stations to add to the existing 49.

[erwinkarim]

i wonder if they finish citywalk/ramlee walk first before doing this. it is moving verrrrryyyy slowly.

[rizalhakim]

Walking back to happiness in KL
Stories by BAVANI M


CAN you imagine our congested city of Kuala Lumpur being freed of the daily traffic chaos and the maddening crowds?

Would you like to have a pleasant stroll on a sheltered pedestrian walkway to get to work or shop in the city without the irritating hassle of driving around looking for a parking space with hundreds of other drivers competing with you in the traffic havoc?


Easy crossing: An existing skybridge near the Pavilion.

Imagine just parking your car at the Dataran Merdeka carpark and being able to walk in the comfort of a network of sheltered walkways, including a skybridge, to various destinations such as the Bangkok Bank vicinity, Kota Raya, Pudu Raya, the Chinatown in Petaling Street, Plaza Rakyat, Swiss Garden Hotel, Federal Hotel, Sungai Wang Plaza, right up to the Star Hill Centre.

Your stroll along the network of walkways will allow you to have some refreshing exercise, unhindered by billboards, potted plants, tables, chairs, beggars and illegal hawkers.

Your walk will also be made more pleasant with the presence of charming little kiosks located along the walkways, offering coffee, hot muffins, nasi lemak, delightful and delicious snacks which you can pick up on your way to the office.

If the innovative Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Ahmad Fuad Ismail has his way, such a scenario could one day be realised.

And private traffic consultant Goh Bok Yen certainly has some creative proposals to help Fuad to turn the densely-populated capital city into a pleasant place to live, work or shop.

Money, too, will not be a problem as the federal government has proposed an allocation of RM100mil under the mini-budget tabled in Parliament recently for the construction of skybridges and covered walkways between the buildings around the Golden Triangle area in the city.


Getting around the city will be easier as the artist’s impression of a covered walkway (left) shows. Currently, pedestrians have to brave the weather and the traffic to walk from one place to another (above). – The Star

Surely, with the government commitment, financial support from the corporate sector, plenty of research and detailed planning, such an ideal concept would be able to take concrete form.

“It is not too late to have such a network of walkways. In fact, it is time to implement such a pedestrian system as part and parcel of an integrated and sustainable public transport system,’’ Goh said.

It is common knowledge that the KL transport network of train, buses, and rail is not well co-ordinated, but Goh is confident that the situation could be rectified by linking it with a well-planned pedestrian network.

Fuad is determined to improve the city’s transport system by reversing the decline in public transport usage.

The mayor had said at a recent press conference that emphasis must be given to improving the public transport system in the city to ensure a private to public transport modal split of 60:40 by the year 2020.

Fuad had said that in the process of creating a comprehensive transport system, a well-planned pedestrian network is essential to complement the various transport modes to better enhance the system.

Goh has done some feasibility studies on the proposed pedestrian network system for the central business district (CBD) of the Golden Triangle, and has even submitted a report to the economic planning unit (EPU) on an elevated pedestrian network (EPN) several years ago.

According to Goh’s findings, having a good network of pedestrian walkways would help to divert intra-CBD short trips from the vehicular single mode such as cars, taxis, buses, or motorcycles.

“It all depends on how you view lost time and opportunity – the cost of fuel, parking charges, time wasted looking for parking space and being stuck in a traffic gridlock,” Goh said.

“People generally do not like to walk for more than a thousand metres, especially in our unpredictable weather, but if the walkways are air-conditioned or reasonably comfortable, I am sure many people will be willing to walk more than that distance,’’ he said.

“Some people are willing to walk because they know that they would probably reach their destination a whole lot faster than taking a taxi and getting stuck in traffic,’’ Goh said.

Indeed, the KL gridlock is costing the city millions of ringgit each day and according to a statement from the Association for the Improvement of Mass-Transit (TRANSIT) Klang Valley, congestion costs are leading to the loss of 2% of Malaysia’s GDP (about RM10bil) every year.

It is obvious that the traffic havoc problem needs to be resolved fast to improve the quality of life of city dwellers and workers, and a good network of walkways is certainly among the most essential and viable options to achieve that.

According to Goh, design too plays an important role. A good pedestrian system, he said, must have three main components: walkway, footbridge that links to the buildings, and a landing that provides ground level access to the walkway which can either be an escalator, stairway, and or pedestrian lifts.

And there is also a need to create activities along the walkways, like booths and kiosk providing a shopping alternative to the pedestrians. This will also provide an avenue for the KL City Hall (DBKL) to generate some revenue.

“The revenue from rental and advertising can be used to maintain the walkways and pay for electricity bills,” Goh said.

Goh is confident that such a pedestrian network is the most appropriate, or even the perfect, scheme for the KL central business hub around Bukit Bintang, and if the project is implemented well, it could even match those of Hong Kong’s Ocean Terminal and Toronto’s PATH system.

But having the system implemented is not good enough as the challenge lies in convincing and changing the mindset of the people to use it.

According to Goh, the Bukit Bintang Transportation Action Plan Study reported that less than 40% of pedestrians crossing between the Sungei Wang Plaza and Lot 10 at Jalan Sultan Ismail use the green footbridge, preferring to walk across six busy traffic lanes instead.

Factors like hot climate condition or torrential rain, noise and air pollution, frequent obstruction on footpaths and passengers queuing up at bus stops and taxi stands also discourage pedestrians from using the walkways.

One thing is certain, and that is, a good pedestrian system will not only benefit the people and generate business in the area but would also enhance the image of KL as a world-class city.

[rizalhakim]

DBKL prepared to work with private sector


THE Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) is prepared to work with the private sector when identifying suitable locations in the city for the construction of pedestrian walkways and skybridges.

According to KL mayor Datuk Ahmad Fuad Ismail, apart from working with Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd (SPNB) which runs the light rail services in and around the capital city, the DBKL also plans to get property developers in the Golden Triangle commercial hub to take part in the project.

“We will call for a meeting with all concerned soon to discuss ways to better accommodate the current public transport system and facilitate a comprehensive and integrated system by linking pedestrian walkways and skybridges between buildings,’’ Fuad said.

He said it was not just the government that must provide such facilities as the private sector also had its role in helping to improve the city.

Fuad cited the Pavilion and Times Square as examples, saying that although the distance between the two malls was short, people were not willing to walk because of the hot weather.

“And when they take a taxi, they get angry because the charges are very high. This is where building owners can help out by providing the much needed linkages to integrate the system,’’ he said.

Fuad said emphasis would be given to areas that had a high concentration of single-mode vehicles such as private cars and taxis.

He said the DBKL would help by providing all the data collected from the city’s Integrated Transport Information System (ITIS) and CCTVs in the city.

“Over a million vehicles enter the city daily, and we have to study ways to accommodate and co-ordinate the various public transport modes and also help to enhance the catchment coverage,’’ he said.

“That’s why the pedestrian linkages are essential as it not only provides convenience and connectivity, but it is also in line with the safe city concept and it would even cut down on accidents,’’ Fuad said.

Prasarana group managing director Datuk Idrose Mohamed said the company was working on improving its connectivity with the Ampang Line and Kelana Jaya line.

“We have 400,000 people taking the buses and 350,000 more taking the LRT, so it is essential to improve the connectivity and integrate the public transport system to make it better,’’ Idrose said.

[rizalhakim]

Originally Posted by rizalhakim

Walking back to happiness in KL
Stories by BAVANI M


Getting around the city will be easier as the artist’s impression of a covered walkway (left) shows. Currently, pedestrians have to brave the weather and the traffic to walk from one place to another (above). – The Star

[argory]

That might just ruin the cityscape! Build underpasses like in Makati.

[rizalhakim]

xpensive la..dis is cheaper i guess....we can learn from Bangkok

[argory]

Originally Posted by rizalhakim

xpensive la..dis is cheaper i guess....we can learn from Bangkok

From pictures, Bangkok looks quite cluttered on a street level because of these elevated structures.
Makati also uses a few skybrigdes, but when it is a major crossroad junction, they go for underpasses. They have very beautiful and wide avenues in Makati and pedestrian underpasses help traffic flow and preserve aesthetics. I think we cant just settle for cheap things anymore - especially urban facilities.

[World 2 World]

hope they build a modern glass walkways. for example, padestrian bridge that links Mid Valley Megamall with The Garden Gallery or something like Pavillion, not a plastic blue cover that u often seen in KL ..

[rizalhakim]

yeah with aircorn hehe

[World 2 World]

“People generally do not like to walk for more than a thousand metres, especially in our unpredictable weather, but if the walkways are air-conditioned or reasonably comfortable, I am sure many people will be willing to walk more than that distance,’’ he said.

[nazrey]

Originally Posted by rizalhakim

Kalau mereka bina main2 atau bina tanpa quality/stylish ..kan jadi habis mood sekelip mata!...Be careful!

At least bina walkway semacam ni pun OK dah!

[allurban]

TRANSIT says:

Are covered walkways and skybridges a step in the right direction?

The recent announcement of RM100 million for pedestrian walkways in KL as part of the RM60 billion stimulus package has generated a lot of interest, including these two recent articles in the Star Metro Section as well as articles in the NST Streets section:

Walking back to happiness in KL

DBKL prepared to work with private sector

More covered walkways for the comfort of commuters

The DBKL appears to be committed to the plan, based on a study that originated in the 1970s (and probably has not been updated since).

The idea of creating walkways to facilitate the easy movement of pedestrians captures the imagination and makes it relatively easy to get swept up in the excitement.

Pictures like the one below make people feel that KL is becoming more and more modern


An image of an elevated walkway at the corner of Jalan Bukit Bintang and Jalan Sultan Ismail - nice to look at but is it necessary????

We have to ask a simple question -

Are skybridges necessary to get people to walk in KL?

Planner Goh Bok Yen seems to think so.

“People generally do not like to walk for more than a thousand metres, especially in our unpredictable weather, but if the walkways are air-conditioned or reasonably comfortable, I am sure many people will be willing to walk more than that distance,’’ he said.

and yet, we know that people in KL walk, especially in the areas that are pedestrian friendly and/or shaded with trees - such as the old city of Kuala Lumpur and areas like Jalan Bukit Bintang.

TRANSIT believes that the skybridges and walkways are not entirely necessary. In fact, we are concerned that the idea is just being used to justify unnecessary construction projects that are cost and energy intensive and will create new sets of problems.

DBKL has built better street-level walkways for the Bukit Bintang, Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, Little India and Petaling Street areas. The only thing these areas lack is tree cover.

So why is the DBKL obsessed with elevated walkways and sky bridges?

Any urban resident will tell you that the best way to make the streets cooler and more hospitable for pedestrians is to plant large, shady trees and enhance the urban forest, to reduce the number of cars on the road and to make the roadways and walkways universally accessible.

Does the DBKL proposal consider all of this?

The truth is that building concrete and glass walkways (as shown in the first image) will only generate more heat. Air conditioning outdoor areas, as proposed by Goh, is a waste of energy and would actually generate significant amounts of heat - making the city even more inhospitable.

Then there are the issues of planning and maintenance.

Consider the example of Plaza Masjid Jamek, the multi-million Ringgit roof covering over the space linking the Masjid Jamek LRT stations.


The delayed Plaza Masjid Jamek has actually done nothing for commuters

Plaza Masjid Jamek has slightly more space and a higher roof and better signage as compared to the previous space. However, connections between the stations have not been enhanced (as you can see from the image above). The covered walkway along Jalan Melaka that connected the two stations has actually been removed!

Then there is the covered 500 m walkway between Dang Wangi LRT and Bukit Nanas Monorail station. I wonder if the champions of skybridges know that the escalators at the skybridge over Jalan Ampang have not been working for more than 1 year. Are they aware that the walkway is unlit at night?

If this is how the DBKL maintains their existing network of walkways, I doubt they will be able to maintain the new ones.

If our goal is to make KL more hospitable, there are better, cheaper, more appealing and more environmentally friendly ways to do it.

Cheers, m

[allurban]

Originally Posted by nazrey

At least bina walkway semacam ni pun OK dah!

Access is more important than style. If you are walking along Jalan Raja Chulan on the Pavillion side, you cannot even access Pavillion using this elevated walkway. You cannot use the walkway to cross the street unless you are already in Pavillion.

Cheers, m

[D_Y2k.2^]

Most important factor to building skybridges would be the accessibility as well as the design. Cheapo looking sky bridges would just make the city look messy and cluttered!

[nazrey]

Originally Posted by rizalhakim

Tapi kalau di lokasi ini adalah sebagai hot spot/face of KL or even the country!
Just serious for this site!