DBKL reinstates partial Sunday road closure for Jalan TAR
In a statement, DBKL said the road closure aims to facilitate the Santai Seni@TAR Programme and aligns with the goal of making Kuala Lumpur a low-carbon city.
It said the closure would be from 6am to 12am for all types of vehicles.
"DBKL will also activate a two-way traffic flow on Lorong TAR, from the Dang Wangi junction to the Lorong TAR 7 junction, every Sunday from 9am to 12am, after the Kuala Lumpur Car Free Morning event," it said.
Following this, DBKL advised users to drive carefully, slow down, and obey instructions from officers on duty.
"Any inconvenience is regretted," it said.
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The Star
a day ago
- The Star
Safer streets for Brickfields
LONG plagued by reckless driving, near-misses with pedestrians, and illegal parking, Jalan Sultan Abdul Samad in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, is set for a major redesign. The 1.5km thoroughfare in Kuala Lumpur's 'Little India' is located just south-west of Kuala Lumpur Sentral. Lined with schools, churches, temples, offices, and residential buildings, the road often sees heavy footfall. The planned transformation by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) will see narrower lanes, raised pedestrian crossings, kerb extensions, speed humps, and visual narrowing features. Roadside parking will no longer be permitted, except for passenger pick-up and drop-off only. City planners say the redesign is part of a broader initiative to make roads safer, calmer, and more inclusive, particularly in high pedestrian areas like Brickfields. Designed for safety 'The redesign features a host of urban planning elements aimed at creating safer, more liveable streets,' said DBKL Urban Transportation Department deputy director Muhammad Azri Abdul Aziz. Muhammad Azri says the changes encourage slower driving without requiring constant enforcement. 'We're introducing raised pedestrian crossings and intersections to slow traffic, narrowing road lanes near school zones to promote safer driving, widening pavements for wheelchair accessibility, adding a dedicated bicycle lane, and establishing a park connector to link nearby green spaces,'' he said. 'There's also a pocket park planned to serve the local community,' Muhammad Azri said. Costing RM400,000, the changes are not just for aesthetics but grounded in established urban design strategies intended to encourage slower driving without requiring constant enforcement, he added. Lua says research carried out shows speed remains the leading cause of road crashes and fatalities. The project, to be carried out in three phases, will also involve the Project Implementation and Building Maintenance Department. 'Brickfields is unique. It is a challenging township with a mix of commercial activities, schools, residents, places of worship, and roadside stalls, all packed into a high-traffic area. 'It has been notorious for accidents, including fatalities and near-misses, for years. And despite the 30km/h speed limit, these incidents still happen,' he said. Learning from Setapak, TTDI Brickfields is the third location to receive this treatment, following successful implementations in Setapak and Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI). In Setapak, the redesign of roads around SK Danau Kota 2 reduced vehicle speeds and raised community awareness about road safety. TTDI saw improvements along Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad, which improved walkability, curbed illegal U-turns and parking. The initiative falls under the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS), which supports Malaysia's commitment to reducing road fatalities. Crews put the finishing touches on a raised zebra crossing along Jalan Danau Kota. BIGRS helps cities like Kuala Lumpur make roads safer by giving expert advice, improving road design, and supporting better enforcement. It also helps track progress using proper data and checks. DBKL's Urban Transport Department is also working with the Global Designing Cities Initiative (GDCI), Bike Commute Malaysia, and the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) to develop safer school zone road layouts. GDCI provides the designs, while DBKL handles the implementation. Traders and obstructions GDCI Asia and Africa programme lead Kim Lua said research conducted in Setapak and TTDI showed that speed remained the leading cause of road crashes and fatalities. His team observed several near-miss incidents in high-traffic zones, reinforcing the need for safer street design. 'But Brickfields is a different challenge due to the presence of roadside stalls,' he said. It is well known that DBKL enforcement teams have long grappled with both licensed and unlicensed traders operating along walkways, including over tactile paving meant for the visually impaired. Some set up near traffic lights and school entrances, where motorists often stop to buy tea, cakes, or vegetables, contributing to congestion and endangering road users. Food stalls set up directly in front of Palm Court Apartments along Jalan Sultan Abdul Samad. — Photos: YAP CHEE HONG, AZLINA ABDULAH/The Star and courtesy photo 'We understand the importance of street vendors in the city's ecosystem. They provide essential services and income,' said Lua. 'But they should not obstruct traffic or create safety hazards. These challenges need to be addressed.' Muhammad Azri acknowledged the complexity of managing Brickfields, calling it one of the most challenging areas he has worked on. He noted that while DBKL regulations prohibit trading on public walkways, especially over tactile paving, exceptions were made during the Covid-19 period due to the sensitive circumstances. However, he emphasised that for the redesign to be effective, from lane narrowing to improved cycling infrastructure, roadside stalls must be relocated. Contractors working on a raised crossing ramp along Jalan Danau Kota, Setapak as part of DBKL's Safer School Streets initiative to slow down traffic near school zones. 'This is a flagship project under the mayor's office. Significant funds are being invested to upgrade infrastructure, and we want the community, including traders, to feel a sense of ownership,' he said. 'That's why engagement is crucial.' What's to come next The project prioritises vulnerable road users such as schoolchildren, wheelchair users, the elderly, the disabled community, pedestrians, cyclists, and mothers with strollers. Over 4,000 schoolchildren (see graphic) commute daily through Brickfields, making their safety a top concern. Among the key risks flagged were illegal roadside parking, children darting across roads, and pedestrians taking risky shortcuts. Even though Jalan Sultan Abdul Samad is a 30km/h road, the average speed is 39km/h, with some vehicles going over 70km/h in a designated school zone. Parental feedback revealed that 76% of those surveyed felt the streets were unsafe, and only 23.7% rated conditions as acceptable. Researchers also engaged children for their views, making them active participants in the redesign process. Implementation is set to begin next month, starting with pedestrian walkway upgrades, narrower roads, and widened sidewalks with cycling lanes. Lua said walkways would be extended by up to 3.2m by reclaiming road space. He said many of the current footbridges were inaccessible for those with mobility challenges, which was why the redesign included tabletop crossings – flat, level pedestrian crossings with ramps on both ends that double as speed tables (a raised section of road designed to slow down vehicles). These crossings allow pedestrians, wheelchair users, the blind, and those with strollers to cross safely at a single level, without stepping up or down. This phase will also introduce pocket parks and connector paths to enhance accessibility and walkability throughout the area. The old pedestrian bridge across Jalan Sultan Abdul Samad has become a white elephant due to low usage – a sign that ground-level crossings better suit the needs of the community. Walkways and cycle lanes will be widened. A concrete divider will be added to prevent illegal parking and ensure safer, more accessible streets for all.
The Star
3 days ago
- The Star
Contradictheory: Parking hell in KL
I live in a neighbourhood that's just around the corner from a bustling commercial area. It's got almost everything, from a few mamak stalls, a supermarket, and a wet market to a hospital even, across the road. Yes, there are no playgrounds or libraries, but it's still a pretty good place to be. Now, when I say it's 'just around the corner', I mean it's a five-minute drive. But sometimes, it's actually faster to take the 20-minute walk. Why? Because finding parking is like playing musical chairs, if it's a game with 20 moving players looking at 30 full seats, one of which is occupied by a Vellfire that's actually too big for its space. Things get even more chaotic on Fridays during prayer time, or on pasar malam days. And if there's a Ramadan bazaar? Forget it. I imagine some might find it worthwhile taking taxis from where they park. To be fair, enforcement is hard. Malaysians find it easy to forget to pay for their parking, which then means there's no cost to keeping the car there for as long as they like. How bad is it? According to Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), there are 59,000 street parking bays in KL and prior to 2024, they generated about RM12mil a year from these spots. This now becomes one of those maths word problems. Let's assume a parking rate of 80 sen per hour (this is the lowest rate, which is about a third of the maximum possible). How many parking bays do you need filled up Monday to Saturday, from 7.30am to 6pm, to generate that much revenue? Answer: Just over 4,500 parking lots need to be occupied full time for a whole year. This represents about 7.7% of all street parking bays available. Which might mean over 90% of people who park don't pay for parking, and really should. It's OK, because these malefic transgressors will then be fined, and we will get income through that, right? Except that parking related fines only contribute an additional RM3mil annually (and that includes those who parked on a yellow line, or double park). While it's easy for us to bemoan Malaysians and their lack of civic-mindedness, I should point you to a study on Bangkok which reported that, in 2020, only 18% of motorists paid their fines. Meanwhile in the United States, one study showed more than 20% of drivers don't pay for their parking, depending on the city. All this of course results in less income for the local authority. For example, DBKL projected in its 2025 budget presentation that they will collect RM34.12mil in parking revenue, representing 1.41% of its budget. You will note that its anticipated earnings is significantly higher than the RM12mil quoted before. The bulk of it is because they hope to be stricter in enforcement – or at least the perception of it. As the DBKL Enforcement Department director said, 'When people see enforcement officers on the ground, they're more likely to pay for parking'. However, I'm fairly reluctant for the city to fund itself by fining its citizens. It almost creates a perverse incentive where you're hoping as many people as possible break the law so you can collect more money. Indeed, there is a news report from 2013 where in order to meet quotas set by councils in London, civil enforcement officers (fundamentally, privatised traffic wardens) were pressured to issue more tickets, with threats of withholding holidays or overtime pay. But I'll even go one step further. I think city councils should not see parking lots as a cash cow to maximise profits. They should see them as tools with which to manage traffic flow in and around the city. Take for example an initiative in New York City in 2012. The city introduced higher parking rates during peak hours, which then discouraged long-term parking, and encouraged turnover. The result? People parked 20% less long in time, more people found available spaces (18% increase in unique visitors), and overall traffic dropped by 7% as people stopped having to circle endlessly looking for spaces. Seattle, in the state of Washington, meanwhile tries to find the lowest hourly rate that leaves at least one or two parking spaces available on every block throughout the day. They adjust their rates three times a year, and use time of day, day of the week, and events to modify rates. Amsterdam increased parking rates by 65%, resulting in fewer cars from outside the local area coming in, and more space for locals who have parking permits, and better traffic flow during rush hour. The point isn't profit, but to help the people in the city. Parking that is expensive enough also discourages people from taking cars, and encourages us to take public transport. Of course, all of this only works if enforcement works, and is seen to be fair. And, at least in the short term, fines should be used to fund strong enforcement teams. The other requirement is improved public transportation links, which further reduce overall traffic. My personal hope is that somewhere like KL's Bukit Bintang area will be car free. And if we're really hopeful, in some future utopia with self-driving cars and artificial intelligence- aided traffic control, all this will be irrelevant. But until then, parking availability is part of an integral system, rather than just a piecemeal add-on feature to a neighbourhood. Imagine how much more we would benefit if we could erase the parking lines, take away cars, and build – dare I say – playgrounds and libraries. Logic is the antithesis of emotion but mathematician-turned-scriptwriter Dzof Azmi's theory is that people need both to make sense of life's vagaries and contradictions. Write to Dzof at lifestyle@ The views expressed here are entirely the writer's own.
New Straits Times
5 days ago
- New Straits Times
DBKL reinstates partial Sunday road closure for Jalan TAR
KUALA LUMPUR: Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL) will reinstate the partial closure of Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman (TAR), from the Jalan Bunus 6 junction to the Jalan Melayu junction, every Sunday starting this week. In a statement, DBKL said the road closure aims to facilitate the Santai Seni@TAR Programme and aligns with the goal of making Kuala Lumpur a low-carbon city. It said the closure would be from 6am to 12am for all types of vehicles. "DBKL will also activate a two-way traffic flow on Lorong TAR, from the Dang Wangi junction to the Lorong TAR 7 junction, every Sunday from 9am to 12am, after the Kuala Lumpur Car Free Morning event," it said. Following this, DBKL advised users to drive carefully, slow down, and obey instructions from officers on duty. "Any inconvenience is regretted," it said.
