Jalan Ayer Itam, also written as Jalan Air Itam and formerly as Ayer Itam Road, is one of the main roads radiating out of George Town. It continues where Dato Kramat Road ends, near the junction with York Road, and continues westward to the Air Itam Vilage. Jalan Air Itam extends further east than the Air Itam area itself.
Address numbering on Jalan Air Itam begins in the east and increases as it goes west. No. 1 Jalan Air Itam is located in the Dato Kramat area. This is where Dato Kramat Road continues as Ayer Itam Road. That property is presently occupied by Sports Toto.
Jalan Air Itam is usually congested at Ayer Itam Village (4 June 2011)
The Sports Toto shop is No. 1 Jalan Air Itam (5 February 2013)
Jalan Air Itam has existed since the 19th century, as it forms the only link to the central highlands of Penang Hill. As in the case with Dato Kramat Road, it has a number of roads branching out of it which were named after places in Malaysia, among them Gopeng Road, Jalan Langkawi, Terengganu Road, Kampar Road. Most of these places remain rural until the early part of the 20th century, when George Town began to rapidly expand outwards.
Busy Jalan Air Itam (9 September 2011)
Jalan Air Itam has been realigned a number of times, particularly in the mid 20th century, when the junction of Scotland Road was realigned to intersect with Green Lane, and to mild the sharp bends in places such as Kampung Bahru. The Air Itam Roundabout which links Jalan Air Itam with Penang Hill Road and Jalan Khoo Hye Keat, is the only roundabout along the whole route after the one at Green Lane was replaced with a flyover interchange in in early 1980's.
Jalan Air Itam joins Jalan Balik Pulau in front of the Air Itam Police Station. From there, the road continues south. It forms a junction with Jalan Pasar, in front of the Ayer Itam Market. Jalan Air Itam ends right after the Air Itam village, at the junction with Jalan Rambutan, from where the road continues as Jalan Paya Terubong.
Jalan Air Itam, in front of the Penang State Mosque (4 June 2011)