KUCHING: A proposed third bridge across the Sarawak River will connect Emart in Matang to Jalan Stephen Yong in Stapok here, providing an alternative route to Kuching International Airport for Petra Jaya residents.

Announcing this yesterday, Infrastructure Development and Communications Minister Datuk Seri Michael Manyin said the bridge project had been approved by the Federal Government at a cost of RM145mil.

“I just received the approval about two weeks ago from the Finance Ministry. It was quite fast because I wrote to the ministry two weeks before that, so we say thank you to the Federal Government for being so prompt in answering our call,” he told reporters after inspecting the newly-opened Jalan Tun Jugah flyover.

Manyin said allocation for the proposed project might not be enough but if that was the case, the state would request additional funds from the Federal Government.

He said the next step was to identify contractors for the project.

“Whether it will be an open tender depends on the Finance Ministry,” he added.

He described the project as good news for city folk, especially those living in Petra Jaya, as it would help to ease congestion.

“Once it is completed, those in Petra Jaya don’t have to go through the city in order to go to the airport. They can use the bridge and go through Jalan Stephen Yong instead.”

Asked when the project would start, Manyin said it depended on the Public Works Department (JKR) to finalise the details first.

He added that the bridge would be toll-free.

There are currently two bridges linking Petra Jaya to the city centre namely the Tun Abdul Rahman Yakub bridge — more commonly known as Satok bridge — and the Tun Salahuddin toll bridge in Pending.

State JKR director Zuraimi Sabki said the scope and details of the project, such as its design and alignment, had not been worked out yet.

“But now that the project is approved, we can go ahead with all our commitments,” he said.

He added that the project’s components would comprise the bridge, a road leading from Emart to it and another linking the bridge to Jalan Stephen Yong.

Meanwhile, JKR southern regional manager Vincent Tang said repair works were still ongoing at the old Batu Kawah bridge, necessitating its closure to road users for the time being.

“We are repairing the trusses and reinforcing the bridge. Now we are doing crack mapping and sealing to strengthen the structure. We cannot open the bridge because we cannot allow vibration while the work is still on-going,” he said.

Tang said the department was trying to get the contractor to complete the repairs before Gawai.

“If not, it would definitely be finished by the middle of June,” he added.
KUCHING: The Sarawak government has identified five locations to be given priority for the building of flyovers to ease traffic congestion in this waterfront city.
State Infrastructure Development Minister Datuk Seri Michael Manyin said the Sarawak Public Works Department (PWD) had undertaken studies and the findings had been submitted to the federal government for evaluation and approval for the projects with the estimated cost at RM400 million.
“The PWD has identified the causes for the traffic congestion in Kuching and how we can help to reduce it. From the studies, we found out that among the main courses of the traffic jams are the traffic lights and junctions.
“We have therefore identified and planned the first five priority flyovers. They are to be built at Jalan Mendu-Jalan Simpang Tiga, in Stutong, Jalan Jalan Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce, the Datu Temenggong Abang Kipali Bin Abang Akip roundabout, and in Petra Jaya and Jalan Rock,” he told reporters after he officially opened the Jalan Tun Jugah/Jalan Song/Upland Interchange, here, today.
Manyin also said that the proposed Matang Bridge over the Sarawak River to connect the Matang area with MJC Batu Kawah, here, had already been approved by the Finance Ministry.
“The proposed bridge will cost RM145 million. It will ease traffic congestion from the Matang area leading to the city centre,” he added. – Bernama


Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2013/03/27/five-more-flyovers-to-ease-traffic-congestion-in-kuching/#ixzz2P2Xr3Rzs

Car Hiring service available in Kuching :
Explore in and around Kuching.
A number of tour operators provide chauffeur-driven cars, vans or 4WD vehicles, but there are only a few fully-fledged self-drive companies operating in Kuching.

Cat City Holidays, Lot 2537, 1st Floor, Central Park Commercial Centre. Tel: 412500 (24 hrs 019-8865282), Fax: 413500, Email: catcity@streamyx.com. www.catcityholidays.com. Airport counter Tel/Fax: 452200. Self-drive Perodua & Proton cars, Toyota MPVs, plus chauffeured Mercedes limos, van and coaches.

Golden System Car Rental, 58-1B, 1st Flr, Block G, Pearl Commercial Centre, Jln Tun Razak. Tel: 333609, Fax: 343609, Email: goldencr88@hotmail.com. www.goldencr.com.my. Airport counter Tel: 611359. Wide selection of self-drive vehicles. Half day and long term rates available.


Pronto Car Rental, No. 98, 1st Floor, Jln Padungan. Tel: 237889 (24 hrs 013-8116778), Fax: 236889. www.prontocarrental.com.

Wah Tung Travel Service, 7K Ban Hock Rd, Tel: 419999, Fax: 464900, Email: wahtung@tm.net.my. www.wahtung.travel. Chauffeur driven limousine hire (Proton limousine, Mercedes & Vans). Airport Branch Tel: 616900, Email: wtapt@streamyx.com.

Kuching Holidays & Car Rental Sdn Bhd, Kuching International Airport, Counter No.6, Jalan Lapangan Terbang. Tel/Fax: 463318 Email: info@ kuchingrentacar.com

Borneo Interiand, 63 Main Bazaar, Tel: 413595, 426328 (24 hrs), 012-8083309 Fax: 411619, Email: bitravel@myjaring.net. www.bitravel.com.my. Self-drive Proton cars & 8-seat Toyota vans, chauffeur driven Mercedes cars & 13-seat Inokom minibuses. Half-day rates available. Also at Merdeka Palace Hotel, Tel: 258000 Ext 8018.

Cat City Holidays, Lot 2537, 1st Floor, Central Park Commercial Centre. Tel: 412500 (24 hrs 019-8865282) Fax: 413500 E-mail: catcity@streamyx.com Website: www.catcityholidays.com. Airport counter Tel/Fax: 452200. Self-drive Perodua & Proton cars, Toyota MPVs, plus chauffeured Mercedes limos, van and coaches.

Hertz Car Rental, Telang Usan Travel & Tours (Sales Agent), Jalan Ban Hock, PO Box 1579, 93732 Kuching. Tel: 236945/6 Fax: 236589 E-mail: kch@hertz.simenet.com. Full selection of vehicles.

Hornbill Car Rental, Lot 99, Jln. Datuk Abang Abd Rahim Lorong 5B, Tel: 343469, Fax: 426692, Email: hbcrsb@streamyx.com.

Pronto Car Rental, No. 98, 1st Floor, Jalan Padungan. Tel: 237889 (24 hrs 013-8116778) Fax: 236889 Website: www.prontocarrental.com. Perodua, Proton & Mercedes cars, vans and SUVs.
Mayflower Car Rental, No 21, 1st Floor, Travillion Commercial Centre, Jln Petanak. Tel: 410110, Fax: 410115, Email: mcr-kc@mayflower.com.my. www.mayflowercarrental.com. Airport counter Tel: 575223. Perodua, Proton & Nissan cars, Toyota & Naza MPVs.
 

Air Asia office :  Wisma Ho Ho Lim, Ground Floor, No. 291 Sub Lot 4,Jln Abell. Tel: 283222 Call Centre: 03-76512222. Online booking & enquiries: www.airasia.com. Check out www.airasia.com for the latest prices and any deals.

BUS SERVICES: Departure points depend on destination and company used. Sarawak Transport Company (STC) (Tel: 242967/ 451573/242579) serve the Kuching area and south-west Sarawak. Their green and yellow buses depart from Lebohjawa. Chin Uan Long's blue and white buses serve the city and its suburbs. Major bus stops at Jalan Mosque, the Post Office and Gambler Street. Petra Jaya City Bus (Tel: 429418) serve Bako and Buntal. Their white and yellow buses depart from the open air market near Electra House. Matang Transport Company's yellow and orange buses depart from outside the Saujana Car Park and go to Matang and Kubah. Bau Transport Company (Tel: 763160) buses depart from the same place for Bau Town.

 

Regional Express Bus Terminal on Jalan Penrissen.  The Kuching Bus Terminal (outstation long distance buses) is located at Jalan Penrissen.

Backpacker often travel by public express bus from Kuching to Sibu and Sibu to Kuching.

More about Kuching Bus Terminal...

Sibu Bus Terminal (outstation bus to Sibu City) is located at Jalan Pahlawan. One can  travel by this public express bus from Kuching to Sibu. The following bus schedules :

Daily Express Bus Schedule of Public express bus from Kuching to Sibu and Sibu to Kuching.

LOCAL BUS (SHORT DISTANCE BUS)

Kuching's hoteliers formed a free City Tram (just a bus) service that shuttles around major sights once every hour.

Ask for a City Tram sticker and route map from your hotel counter.

Other local buses are represented by color: 

-Green - Sarawak Transport Company (STC)

-Blue - Chin Liang Long Bus Company (CLL)

-Orange - Matang Transport Company (MTC)

-Brown/Red - Bau Bus Company

-White with Red, Yellow and Black stripes - Petra Jaya Bus Company

Bus to Kuching Airport. STC bus No. 12A. RM 1.00, 45 mins. Every 50 min. First bus (from Kuching) 6.30 am, last bus 7.00 pm. First bus (from Airport) 7.10 am, last bus 8 pm. Or Chin Lian Long bus No. 8A.

Bus to Bako National Park. Take the Petra Jaya City Bus no. 6 from to go to Kampung Bako Village. The bus parked at Jalan Khoo Hun Yeang next to the open air market/Electra House.
The journey is 45 minutes. The fare is RM1.50. The bus final stop at the jetty of Kampung Bako. Here is a registration counter for hiring the open top boat to the national park. This is a 30-minute scenic boat ride to the Park.
Book a return boat journey immediately after you arrive at the Park. Get enought 5 or 6 people who are leaving at the same time, so to split the boat fare
First bus from Kuching at 7.30 am, last bus 5.20 pm. Last regular bus back from Bako 5.50 pm.
White minibuses also go to Kampung Bako (RM 3). From 6 am to 5 pm and depart infront open air market. No fixed departure schedule - the minibuses leave when passenger seats are full.


Bau. STC bus No. 2 or 2C or Bau Transport Co. bus No. 3, RM 4.50, approx. 1 hour. Every 20 mins. First bus (from Kuching) 6 am, last bus 6 pm. Buses depart from near the Saujana car park

Belong. STC Bus No. EP10, RM 25. Buses at 8 am and 1.30 pm.

Buntal. Petrajaya bus No. 2D. RM 1.50,35 mins. First bus (from Kuching) 6.55 am. Last bus back from Buntal 6 pm.

Damai / Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV). A Kuching-Damai shuttle bus service departs regularly from outside the Holiday Inn Kuching with drop offs at the resort hotels and Sarawak Cultural Village. One way fare is RM 10 (adults), RM 5 (children), takes approx. 40 mins. First bus (from Kuching) 7.30 am, last bus 10 pm. Last bus back from Damai 9 pm. For the full timetable check with the bell counter at the Holiday Inn Kuching.

Fairy and Wind Caves (from Bau Bus Station). Bau Transport Co. Bus No. 3, RM 0.70, every 1/2 hour from 6.20 am to 6 pm.

Kubah. Matang Transport Co. Bus No. 11. RM 1.60. Approx. 50 minutes. Buses depart from near the Saujana car park. No fixed timetable. Ask to be dropped off at the Park HQ near the Matang Family Park (Stage 2). Note: buses do not go to the entrance of the Matang Wildlife Centre. Alternatively, take a white minibus (see Matang, below).

 

From Sarawak to Kalimantan of Indonesia
Bus to Indonesia - Two daily bus services between Kuching and Pontianak. Journey is 8-10 hours. Immigration point in Teledu. No buse services from Pontianak to Banjarmasin.

Kuching To Pontianak, Indonesia. RM 45.00, 8 hours. Buses depart from Kuching's Penrissen Road Terminal.

Biaramas/Tebakang Express (Tel: 456999) at 7.30 am.
SJS (Tel: 456999) at 8 am and 1.00 pm.
The up market SJS 'Super Executive' departs 11.00 am and costs RM 70. This bus has more leg room and meals are included.
Kirata Express departs 7.30 am
Sapphire Pacific at 11 am
Sri Merah Express at 7 am and 10 am - book through Vital Focus Transportation (Tel: 453190 or 461277) or Borneo Interland (63 Main Bazaar, Tel: 413595).
ATS (Tel: 457773) departs 7.30 am,
Eva Express (Tel: 576761) at 7 am (economy) and 11 am (super class, RM 70) and
Damri (Tel: 572098) at 8 am, 11.30 am and 1 pm.