Jalan Bukit Kukus

Jalan Bukit Kukus (14 January 2022)


Jalan Bukit Kukus is a hill road from Farlim through Paya Terubong to Bukit Jambul, on the central part of Penang Island. The road presently comprises three separate segments. The northern segment connects Lebuhraya Thean Teik in the north and is a no-through road in the south. It forms a junction with Lorong Semarak Api 3, providing access to the hill-rise apartment blocks on the southern part of the Farlim neighbourhood.

The middle segment of Jalan Bukit Kukus connects Tingkat Paya Terubong 1 to Lorong Bukit Kukus.

The southern and newest segment connects Jalan Paya Terubong in the north to Lebuh Bukit Jambul in the south. It also forms a junction with Jalan Tun Sardon at the highest vehicular viaduct in Malaysia. At a height of 61.5m (202ft) from the ground, or 59.4m (195ft) from the pile caps, this is the tallest elevated viaduct in Malaysia.

Construction of the Jalan Bukit Kukus paired from from Paya Terubong to Relau began ini 2016. In 2018, construction was temporarily halted after a landslide killed 9 workers. Construction was further delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic, but eventually, the stretch was completed and opened to the public at the beginning of 2022. Built at a cost of RM378.2 million, it is the largest construction project to be undertaken by the Penang Island City Council to date. However, it is still not completed. The stretch from the Paya Terubong junction Farlim is still incomplete, and is expected to be completed only in 2028.

Map of Jalan Bukit Kukus, Penang

Residential Properties along Jalan Bukit Kukus

The Jalan Tun Sardon Viaduct on Jalan Bukit Kukus (14 January 2022)


View of the Viaduct from the ramp of Jalan Paya Terubong (14 January 2022)


The ramp of Jalan Paya Terubong connecting to Jalan Tun Sardon (14 January 2022)


Another view of the Jalan Tun Sardon Viaduct (14 January 2022)


Jalan Bukit Kukus, Paya Terubong, with Pine Residence and Puncak Terubong Apartment. (7 February 2019)


Jalan Bukit Kukus, Paya Terubong, with view of the Puncak Terubong Apartment (25 September 2009)


View of Jalan Bukit Kukus towards Lebuhraya Thean Teik, before Pine Residence was built. (25 September 2009)

Jalan Bukit Kukus Extension

Jalan Bukit Kukus is being extended in stages to eventually connect with Lebuh Bukit Jambul. In so doing, it becomes a parallel route to Jalan Paya Terubong, providing alternative access for commuters in the Air Itam area to reach the southern districts of Relau and Bayan Baru. When completed, it forms an important conduit for commuters living in the working class neighbourhoods of Paya Terubong and Air Itam to reach their work place at the Bayan Lepas FIZ.

The first portion of the extension, costing RM378.2 million (out of the entire cost of RM545.6 million), was completed in December 2021, and opened to the public on 13 January 2022. The completion section is 3.825 km out of a total length of 4.87 km. It includes the Jalan Tun Sardon Viaduct which at 61.5 meters³ from the ground to street level, is the tallest viaduct in Malaysia, at time of completion, surpassing the height of 58.2 meters for the Rawang Bypass.

The Jalan Bukit Kukus project is jointly undertaken by the Municipal Council (now Penang Island City Council) and private developer PLB Land Sdn Bhd in two stages. The first stage, costing RM60 million, connects Lebuhraya Thean Teik to Tingkat Paya Terubong 1, and is expected to be completed in 2017. The second stage, from Tingkat Paya Terubong 1, through the Bukit Saujana and Sun Moon City development, will eventually link it to Lebuh Bukit Jambul, is expected to be completed by 2025.

Bukit Jambul Elevated U-Turn

Jalan Bukit Kukus viaduct construction (17 March 2020)


Jalan Bukit Kukus viaduct construction (17 March 2020)


Construction of viaduct to Jalan Tun Sardon (17 March 2020)


One of the piers of the Jalan Bukit Kukus viaduct (17 March 2020)


Hill strengthening for Jalan Bukit Kukus (17 March 2020)

Updates on Jalan Bukit Kukus

27 November 2021
The Star reports Penang infrastructure and transport committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari saying that the 3.5 km stretch of Jalan Bukit Kukus from Lebuh Bukit Jambul is expected to be ready by late December 2021. This stretch costs RM275 million while the whole project costs RM545 million. It is one of three sections of the project. Besides this stretch, two other stretchees being completed by private developers are 1.4km (RM150 million) and 0.7km (RM120 million). According to Zairil, the entire project is scheduled for completion in 2025. It is touted to be the highest elevated route in the country, rising to 59.4 meters from the pile caps.

13 July 2020
The Star reports that the RM545.6mil Jalan Bukit Kukus paired road project is 90% done and should be ready by the end of the year. Construction works were delayed by the movement control order. A slight redesign also resulted in a delay. The project involves improving the junction at Lebuhraya Thean Teik, widening Jalan Bukit Kukus, construction of new roads and an elevated link connecting Jalan Bukit Kukus with Lebuh Bukit Jambul, construction of the elevated road from Jalan Paya Terubong to Jalan Tun Sardon, and construction of a right-turn ramp.

13 February, 2019
Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow reported the revelation to the Bukit Kukus tragedy on his Facebook page, saying that Deputy Chief Minister I saying that the main contractor probably failed to follow the best construction practices, by failing to hire competent engineers to design a temporary platform at the site where the landslide occured. Details

25 October, 2018
The number of dead has been revised to 9 people. The state government has formed a special investigative committee to probe the landslide. The committee would be lead by Deputy Chief Minister I, Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman. The cost of contructing the Bukit Kukus Paired Road is mentioned here as RM530 million.

22 October, 2018
The number of dead in the Jalan Bukit Kukus landslide was revised upward to 8 people, as more bodies were recovered. Penang Island mayor Yew Tung Seang expressed "deep regret" over the tragedy but said that the construction works would continue.

19 October, 2018
The Star, New Straits Times and Berita Harian report on a massive landslide at the construction site of the Jalan Bukit Kukus elevated highway at 1.56pm on Friday, 19 October, 2018. It caused the death of death of five foreign construction workers. According to Mineral and Geoscience Department Director, Azhari Ahmad, inspection [of the site] reveals that water flow from a stream on the hilly area caused the landslide. The department has taken immediate measures to divert the flow of water from the stream to avoid worsening the situation.

References

1. Free Malaysia Today (22 October 2021): Country's tallest elevated road to open by year's end.
2. Wikipedia: Rawang Bypass
3. Malay Mail (13 January 2022): Penang will persevere with its transport master plan projects, says Chief Minister

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