The Butterworth Outer Ring Road (BORR) was constructed to serve the metropolitan areas of Butterworth and Bukit Mertajam, which have seen a surge in vehicular traffic with intense industrial and urban development. The BORR is a 14-kilometre expressway that makes a loop from the Jalan Baru Interchange with the North-South Expressway (NSE) and the Sungai Dua Interchange with the NSE.
Construction of the BORR is estimated to cost RM480 million, excluding land acquisition and squatter relocation. The contractor awarded by the Federal Government to construct the BORR was the Lingkaran Luar Butterworth (Penang) Sdn Bhd. The project will proceed under several different packages:
The new Sungai Prai Cable-Stay Bridge
Package 1A
Package 1A of the BORR covers about 2 kilometres starting from the exit along Jalan Baru to Masjid Jamek Prai. It consists of 1.5 km of dual three-lane divided carriageway and a flyover at the Prai Roundabout over the mainline. Approximately 6.6 km of roadside and median drains will be provided. Also included in this package is a toll plaza and its building which will be situated along Jalan Prai.
Package 1B
Package IB covers the Sungai Prai Bridge, a beautiful 1.85 km long stay cable bridge over the Prai river. It is a dual-three lane highway with a dedicated trumpet interchange to the port. Construction of the Sungai Prai Bridge hit a snag when improperly poured concrete slab atop a pile cap at one of the two primary stay-support piers threatened to weaken the entire structure. Attempts to remove the granite-hard blocks with conventional demolition equipment was unsuccessful. In the end, it had to be removed with explosives.
Package 2
Package 2 covers a total length of about 2.6 km. It consists of 1.5 km of dual three-lane divided carriageway and 0.5 km each for dual two-lane flyover at Jalan Chain Ferry and the NBCT/BKE junction. Most of this stretch will be built on reclaimed land.
Package 3
Package 3 covers about 4 km-long, comprising of a 3.4 km highway of which 2.8 km is dual three-lane divided carriageway on reclaimed land, as well as 0.6 km each for dual two-lane flyover at Jalan Bagan Ajam. A toll plaza and administrative office is included in this package.
Package 4
Package 4 covers a total length of 3.6 km. It consists dual two-lane divided carriageway starting after Jalan Bagan Ajam Flyover and ends near the NSE Interchange at Sg. Dua. A total of four bridges crossing Sg. Lokan, Sg. Maklom and two irrigation canals will be constructed in this package. There will be three toll plazas along the highway and the toll ranges from RM0.40 to RM3.00 is planned according to the type of vehicle.
Finding Accommodation in Penang
If you're going to Penang, you now have the option of finding accommodation in a hotel, or look for one in hostels and guesthouses. To book a room in a star-rated hotel, use the Penang Hotel Guide for Budget Travelers. To find accommodation in a Hostel or Guesthouse, use the Penang Guide to Hostels and Guesthouses. Each link provides detailed listing of the type of accommodation you can expect in Penang. Be aware that you get what you pay for. If you need a certain degree of comfort, then a star-rated hotel may be an ideal option for you. On the other hand, if you are able to forego a bit of creature comfort, then hostels and guesthouses are clean, safe, and incredibly good value for money. For accommodation in other destinations, visit Hotel Guide for Budget Travelers or Hostels & Guesthouses Accommodation Guide.
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