MORE PICS – 6 Km SMART Tunnel OPENS Mon 14th May 07 after DELAYS; FREE Ride - 1 MONTH; Toll Rate NOT Finalised; How Smart it works in MODE 1, 2 & 3?
ABOVE & BELOW: With the Final Touches, the SMART TUNNEL is open for 1 month Free Test Ride at your OWN RISK. What IF there is a Quake?
ABOVE & BELOW: The layout of the SMART SYSTEM
Smart Tunnel Opens On May 14
KUALA LUMPUR, May 7 (Bernama) -- The Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel (SMART) will be open to traffic at 1.30pm on May 14, said Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu. He said the six-kilometre road tunnel which was originally scheduled to be opened on April 9 had to be postponed as the bottom part of the tunnel had not been fully completed. "The bottom part of the tunnel to channel stormwater was not ready, that's why we delayed the opening," he told reporters before opening the Federal Territory MIC Convention, here today.
The RM1.9 billion project, which began in January 2003, comprises a 10km stormwater tunnel and a double-deck motorway tunnel. Construction work on the tunnel was carried out by Syarikat Mengurus Air Banjir dan Terowong Sdn Bhd, a joint-venture between Gamuda and MMC. Samy Vellu, who is also the MIC president, said the tunnel linked Jalan Tun Razak and Jalan Davis to the
This shortens the time taken by road users going to the city centre to between five and 10 minutes only compared with more than 40 minutes during peak hours. Asked about the toll rate to be charged, he said: "I can't disclose now because I need approval from the cabinet." The minister said the toll rate would be announced one month after the SMART tunnel was opened to the public.
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The unique feature of this project is the 3 km double-deck motorway within the stormwater tunnel. The operation of the SMART system works on the three- principle mode of operation based on the flood discharge at the
The first mode (ABOVE), under normal condition where there is no storm or low rainfall, no flood water will be diverted into the system.Under the second mode, SMART system will be activated and this happens when there is moderate storm.
When the second mode (ABOVE) is activated, flood water is diverted into the bypass tunnel in the lower channel of the motorway tunnel and it is important to note, that, up to this stage, the motorway section is still open to traffic.
At the third mode (ABOVE) of operation the motorway will be closed to traffic. With extensive and effective monitoring stations, when the third mode of operation is needed, the motorway will be closed to traffic. Sufficient time will be allocated to allow the last vehicle to exit the motorway before the automated water-tight gates are opened to allow flood water to pass through. The motorway will be reopened to traffic within 48 hours after the closure.
Tunnel Safety
Ventilation/ escape shafts at 1km intervals: these powerful air ventilators will constantly renew the air and maintain the air quality within the motorway. To protect the ventilation system during the flooding, the systems consist of a series of shafts each containing an exhaust and fresh air injector. This design enables the fans to be situated outside the SMART tunnel to create a longitudinal flow in the tunnel between the shafts that permits the air in the tunnel to be continuously renewed and to enable extraction of the exhaust fumes. The feature also allows for smoke control in the event of a fire.
Equipped with fire fighting, telecommunication and surveillance equipment at 1 km interval.
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SMART’S tunnel boring machine (TBM), TUAH, has completed tunneling works on its north-bound journey to the holding basin at Kampung Berembang.The completion is a culmination of works that first began in June 2004, with TUAH boring at North Ventilation Shaft (NVS) at the Padang JKR at Jalan Cheras and making its first breakthrough 6 months later at North Junction Box (NJB) at Jalan Cochrane. In reaching its final destination today, TUAH has bored through a total distance of 5.36km and erected a total of 3,071 rings that make up the northern section of the total 9.7km storm-water tunnel of the SMART system. The SMART Tunnel is the world’s first dual purpose tunnel, and among the largest in the world with a diameter of 13.2 meters
TUAH’s breakthrough today is significant as it means tunneling works for the stormwater tunnel and the entire SMART system is complete. GEMILANG, the south-drive TBM completed works in April 2006 when it reached the storage reservoir at Taman Desa. With completion of tunneling works at both ends of the SMART alignment, the project is targeted to be fully operational by June this year. The motorway portion, which will provide a new direct alternative access to the city centre, is already complete and is ready to be opened to the public soon. SMART is a dual purpose system that is being implemented by the Government to mitigate flooding and in the city centre and ease traffic congestion along Jalan Sungei Besi. It is being implemented under the joint
supervision of Jabatan Pengairan dan Saliran and Lembaga Lebuhraya
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1. What is the nature of the joint venture between Gamuda and MMC Corp? How did the partnership come about?
This is a 50-50 partnership that came about as a result of mutual interests. We believe our combined expertise will be a strategic advantage in the SMART project, a project that is crucial to public interest. The losses incurred by both the individual and businesses during a flood after heavy downpour – in terms of earnings lost as the case of the taxi drivers and time wasted as traffic crawls to a virtual standstill. Indeed, no less important, is the image of our country as we try very hard to boost
2. How will the project be financed?
SMART’s unique financial package is another feature of the project that has received wide global attention and accolade. The JV came up with an option to finance part of the project by incorporating a motorway within the stormwater tunnel. This reduces the government financing to only two-third of the project cost.
3. What is SMART?
The Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel is a flood mitigation project that the Government wants to implement to deal with the flooding problems that KL is confronted with each time it rains heavily. Our rivers today do not have the capacity to hold all the water and there are space constraints to consider for river improvement works. KL suffered serious damages during the flash flood in April and October 2001 and June 2003. Lives were lost. Studies undertaken by the various Government agencies showed constraints at the confluence of Sg. Klang and Sg. Ampang (behind
SMART is a twin system, consisting of a stormwater channel and a motorway, incorporated into a single infrastructure.
4. What were the main considerations for selecting the Jalan Ampang, Jalan Tun Razak-Sg Besi as the alignment for the SMART project?
Studies indicate that the confluence of Sg. Ampang and Sg. Klang is a critical location and causes flood when the water level rises. So, our engineers had to look for optimum points to locate the holding basin, the storage reservoir and the bypass tunnel. KL city center has major constraints in terms of space for river widening and for the construction of flood retention ponds. In designing the alignment, we had to be careful to minimize land acquisition and to avoid/minimize disruption to existing development.
5. What are the safety features in SMART?
Safety in motorway tunnel is of paramount importance and absolute priority to us. We will install many safety features to ensure public safety. These features will be highlighted at a latter time.
The common question is how safe is the tunnel and will the vehicles in the motorway be submerged during an emergency. SMART is probably the only system that has incorporated the most number of emergency and contingency features in its operation system.
As safety of vehicles in the motorway will be of paramount importance, SMART has additional features that are unique over and above the features seen in a normal motorway tunnel. The main features are:
- Automated Flood Control Gates: the water tight gates are installed on either ends of the motorway tunnel (within the stormwater section). In addition similar single flood control steel gates will be installed at both entrances and exits of the motorway tunnel. These gates will be operated with a hydraulic system.
- Cross Passage between decks at 250m intervals: the passage acts as emergency exits during an emergency.
- Ventilation/ escape shafts at 1km intervals: these powerful air ventilators will constantly renew the air and maintain the air quality within the motorway. To protect the ventilation system during the flooding, the system consists of a series of shafts each containing an exhaust and fresh air injector. This design enables the fans to be situation outside the SMART tunnel to create a longitudinal flow in the tunnel between the shafts that permits the air in the tunnel to be continuously renewed and the extraction of the exhaust fumes. The feature also allows for smoke control in the event of a fire.
- Equipped with fire fighting equipment, telephone and surveillance at 1 km interval
6. Once SMART is in place, will the city folks be rid off the flash floods and traffic jams after heavy downpour?
Studies have shown that where Sg. Klang meets Sg. Ampang and the Sg. Gombak meets Sg. Klang are the flood prone areas and the
7. Will the motorway be tolled? How much will it cost for motorist to use the motorway?
Tolling is very much a government prerogative in terms of timing and rate. The Work Ministry will make the announcement on tolling
8. Which ministries and government agencies are involved in the project?
As this project involves flood mitigation and motorway, it falls under the jurisdiction of Department of Irrigation and Drainage
9. What is the cost of the TBM?
TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) - RM200 million each.
10. Why use TBM instead of conventional tunneling methods?
- prevents/reduces incidences of settlement on the surface by managing and
- controlling unstable ground conditions
- fast/ efficient
- minimizes disruption/disturbances to existing development and traffic
- able to better control water entering the tunnel which will reduce water table draw down/consolidation settlement
- continuous operations- the tbm can operate round the clock
- less rock damage
- less support requirement
- higher advance rates
- greater worker safety
- potential for remote, automated operation
- minimum land acquisition
posted by multidimid at 8:39 AM
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