Overcoming geotechnical challenges and running against time, another engineering marvel is all set to become the latest landmark of the Sultanate.

The $168-million Telisai-Lumut Highway will be opened to the public today, Belait District's Traffic Control and Investigation Department (JSKLL) announced yesterday.

Built by a leading Brunei contracting firm Surati Construction Sdn Bhd in partnership with China Communication Construction Company (CCCC) Third Harbour Engineering Co LTD, the 18.6-km highway will ease travel between the capital and the Belait District and reduce traffic congestion along the existing Lumut-Telisai road especially during peak hours.

Work on the highway began in February 2010.

Motorists should practise caution and abide by the laws of traffic while using the new highway, said Inspector Mohd Fadhillah bin Haji Ibrahim, Belait District Officer-inCharge of the JSKLL, during a briefing held by DARe (Darussalam Enterprise) yesterday at iCentre.

Simon Tsen Kheng Voon, a senior engineer at DARe who conducted the briefing, said the highway has four entry points from the existing Jln Tengah-Jln Telisai which links the Tutong-Telisai Highway and the Seria-Lumut Bypass (5km less than the new highway) which was the only route used by commuters for travelling in and out of the Belait District.

The four entry points are: the beginning of the Telisai-Lumut Highway in Tutong District, Sungai Paku Link (8.18km into the highway), Jln Labi (5.55km after Sungai Paku Link) and at the end of the new highway which is in Lumut (5km after Jln Labi), he noted.

Drivers travelling to Telisai from Bandar Seri Begawan will have to exit the new highway at the first U-turn and continue driving for 5km to Jln Tengah-Jln Telisai.

Drivers travelling to Telisai from Bandar Seri Begawan will have to exit the new highway at the first U-turn and continue driving for 5km to fin Tengah-Jln Telisai whereas those who are travelling from Kuala Belait direction may access Telisai by exiting to the left from the Lumut-Seria Bypass onto the Lumut Bypass.

In addition, commuters from Telisai who wish to use the new highway must exit the Jln Tengah-JIn Telisai and move along the Tutong-Telisai Highway and exit to the Bukit Beruang Interchange and make the fourth exit on the roundabout to return to the dual carriageway and into the new highway.

Simon also touched on how to safely exit the Telisai-Lumut Highway via the Sungai Paku Link road from the BSB direction where drivers must perform a U-turn and drive 2km from the turning point and exit to Sungai Paku Link on the left.

Furthermore, drivers from Sungai Paku who wish to travel in the Kuala Belait direction via the new highway have to make a U-turn 3km after entering the dual carriageway.

Those who travel from Lumut to Kuala Belait have to make a U-turn 4km after the entry point on the Telisai-Lumut Highway to be able to exit on to the Lumut-Seria Bypass while drivers from the BSB direction have to make a U-turn after exiting the new highway on the Lumut-Seria Bypass to reach Lumut.

Motorists who wish to access Labi from Sungai Liang direction need to make a U-turn 1km after entering the new highway towards BSB via the Jln Labi entrance and exit the highway on the left while facing the KB direction.

However, to exit to Sungai Liang from Labi, commuters Will have to travel for 0.7km in the direction of KB and make a U-turn and exit to fin Labi on the left while facing the BSB direction, the senior engineer said.

Inspector Mohd Fadhillah reminded the public to always follow the speed limit of 100km/h.

"It (the speed limit) is set for a reason as all the safety features which are built can withstand a crash at 100km/h, so if you exceed the limit then the safety features will not work," the inspector said, expressing hope that with the new highway, congestion and traffic jams can be avoided, especially during rush hours in the early morning and late afternoon for the KB-Muara commuters.

"This acts as an alternate route for the commuters."

In a statement, the DARe said the new highway will be opened to public today at from 4pm onwards post an inauguration ceremony.

Source:
@BRUDIRECT.COM

by BruDirect.com

If you have any stories or news that you would like to share with the global online community, please feel free to share it with us by contacting us directly at [email protected]