Answer to Written Question PT058

QUESTION

Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman

YANG BERHORMAT PEHIN ORANG KAYA INDERA PAHLAWAN DATO SERI SETIA AWANG HAJI SUYOI BIN HAJI OSMAN asks the MINISTER OF DEVELOPMENT to state whether road resurfacing and repair works will cover all the district’s main roads, considering that the Ministry is actively carrying out repairs. This takes into account the Ministry’s strong efforts in resurfacing major roads, including also the planting of trees along several highways at this time.

ANSWER

Yang Berhormat Menteri Pembangunan

• The Ministry of Development through the Public Works Department is indeed carrying out road repair and resurfacing works continuously and in stages covering all major district roads according to priority and the approved allocation.
• Road maintenance and safety improvements such as repair works and resurfacing of damaged roads are carried out on a scheduled basis. Out of 18 arranged projects, a total of 7 term contracts have been completed where along 7.778 km of main roads have been repaired and resurfaced, namely:
  1. Tungku Highway and Jalan Masjid Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien (3.5 km)
  2. Jalan Kebangsaan (0.670 km)
  3. Jalan Utama Mentiri (0.4 km)
  4. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Highway (Airport Bound) (0.583 km)
  5. Jalan Gadong (0.820 km)
  6. Lumut – Belait Highway (1.4 km)
  7. Jalan Jerudong (0.405 km)
• Meanwhile, 8 contracts are under implementation, 2 are awaiting approval from the State Tender Board and 1 is to be retendered, covering major roads.
• The Public Works Department has also begun using new technology in repair and resurfacing works to ensure road durability as well as extend the lifespan of the roads, namely:
  1. The use of fibres in the asphalt mixture aims to strengthen the bond between aggregates and bitumen to improve the durability of the asphalt layer against cracking and waviness.
  2. The installation of Fiberglass Reinforcement Grid aims to increase the foundational strength of the road structure to better withstand traffic loads and subsequently prevent uneven roads such as deformation along vehicle wheel tracks/tyre paths (wheel rutting), cracks and so on.
  3. Polymer used in this roadbase mixture (or stone) is capable of producing a layer that improves resistance to water and traffic loads, which reduces the occurrence of potholes, cracks and so on.
• The use of this technology will be monitored to assess its effectiveness in further expanding its use to other major roads such as the following:
  1. Jalan Tutong
  2. Jalan Kota Batu
  3. Jalan Sungai Akar
  4. Muara-Tutong Highway
  5. Tutong Telisai Highway
  6. Jalan Labu-Bangar
  7. Jalan Bangar – Puni
  8. Jalan Batang Duri
  9. Jalan Selangan Bukok
  10. Jalan Utama Salambigar
  11. Jalan Penghubung Tanah Jambu
  12. Jalan Pengiran Babu Raja
  13. Jalan Industri Beribi
  14. Jalan Ripas.

Yang Berhormat Yang Di-Pertua, that is all the answer that Kaola is able to convey for the question raised by Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Suyoi bin Haji Osman. Thank you.