Air Itam Bypass Nears Completion as Major Bridge Construction Milestone Achieved

GEORGE TOWN:  The RM850 million Air Itam Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway Bypass Project has reached 91.8% overall physical completion, marking another significant milestone with the successful installation of all four precast U-beams for the first span of Bridge 4.

Penang Infrastructure, Transport and Digital Committee Chairman Zairil Khir Johari said the beam launching operation was successfully completed on July 15, representing a major step forward in the construction of one of the state’s largest infrastructure projects.

According to Zairil, the installation was carried out in two carefully coordinated phases. The first two beams were lifted between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., while the remaining two beams were installed during an overnight operation from 8:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. the following day.

Each precast U-beam measures between 48.93 metres and 50.47 metres in length and weighs between 146.8 tonnes and 151.5 tonnes, requiring a sophisticated tandem lifting operation using a 600-tonne main crane supported by a 550-tonne crane.

Zairil said the complex lifting works were conducted under stringent safety protocols due to the use of heavy-duty cranes, high-risk engineering operations and temporary road closures.

“Operational and logistical planning was meticulously coordinated to ensure every beam launching exercise was completed safely and efficiently,” he said.

The next phase of Bridge 4 construction is scheduled to continue with the installation of Span 3 on July 27, followed by Span 2 on July 28 and 29, as the project moves closer to completion.

Described as Penang’s largest ongoing infrastructure development, the 6-kilometre toll-free bypass forms Package Two of the Penang Undersea Tunnel and Paired Roads Project. The new route will connect Lebuhraya Thean Teik in Farlim with the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway through a combination of elevated viaducts, tunnels and at-grade roads.

Although the project was initially scheduled for completion in 2024, it has since received two extensions, with the revised completion deadline now set for April 12, 2027.

Upon completion, the bypass is expected to significantly reduce traffic congestion and improve travel efficiency for approximately 300,000 residents in Air Itam, Bandar Baru Air Itam and Paya Terubong, while strengthening Penang’s overall transportation network and enhancing connectivity across the island.