Works Ministry proposes six overtaking lanes for Bintulu-Bakun route

BINTULU (Sept 22): The Works Ministry has proposed the construction of six overtaking lanes along the 128.46km federal Bintulu-Bakun route, or FT803, to improve safety and traffic flow, said its minister Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi.

He said the proposed overtaking lanes will be located at KM16, KM39, KM49, KM75, KM106 and KM109.

“The proposed overtaking lanes will have a combined length of about 12 kilometres and an estimated cost of RM216 million for consideration under Rolling Plan 2 of the 13th Malaysia Plan,” he said after conducting a site visit at KM49, Jalan Bintulu-Bakun here.

Nanta said the proposal took into consideration the route’s hilly and winding nature as well as limited visibility and movement of heavy vehicles.

“This route is also important to more than 30 longhouses and villages, as well as providing access to Sungai Asap, Belaga, the Bakun Hydroelectric Dam and Murum Hydroelectric Dam,” he said.

Meanwhile, Nanta said RM28.1 million had been allocated this year for 12 periodic pavement work orders along 10.8km of the route.

“The 2026 allocation is the highest annual allocation for FT803 between 2019 and 2026, representing an increase of about 91 per cent from the RM14.7 million allocated last year.”

He noted several completed work sites under the 2026 work orders were also inspected, including road base top-up, Cold In-Place Recycling (CIPR) and resurfacing works.

He said cumulatively RM66.72 million had been approved between 2019 and 2026 for 35 work orders, covering about 27km of FT803.

“However, these figures will only be meaningful when the improvements are felt by the people through safer roads, more comfortable journeys and better connectivity for communities along the Bintulu–Bakun route,” he said.