Big traffic changes in Taman Melaka Raya

MALACCA: The state will make major changes to traffic routes in Taman Melaka Raya starting this month.

Vehicles coming in from the heart of the old city centre in Jalan Merdeka will have an alternative route to exit the city via Jalan Melaka Raya.

To accomplish this, the current one-way traffic in Jalan Melaka Raya will undergo reverse flow to ease congestion at the interchange leading to Jalan Parameswara.

Motorists can now head directly for Garden City, Bukit Senjuang, Ujong Pasir and Semabok before heading towards the highway.

Changes made: A bird eye view from Hotel Equatorial Melaka of the interchange connecting Jalan Merdeka, Jalan Melaka Raya and Jalan Parameswara.The 'island' will be removed to make way for motorists to enter Jalan Melaka Raya directly from Jalan Merdeka.

State Public Works and Utilities Committee chairman Datuk Gan Tian Loo said there would be no trial period and the change would be permanent.

He said the number of vehicles entering the city had increased after its inscription as a Unesco World Heritage Site.

“There were 76,000 vehicles in the heart of the old city in the first three days of Chinese New Year,” he said.

Gan also urged contractors to complete the new RM12mil Kota Laksamana- Limbongan coastal highway ahead of the May deadline to alleviate congestion in the state’s commercial district.

He said, if successful, the road curbs between Dataran Pahlawan and Mahkota Parade would be scrapped to make room for a four-lane road.

Traffic police will be stationed at the interchange to manage the flow beginning for one week.

State Public Works Department and local council personnel will be on standby to assist.

For feedback and inquiries, call MBMB at 06-285 9824 or toll free at 1800-88-4411.