RAWANG, Oct 1 — Rawang assemblyman Chua Wei Kiat believes the Pekan Lama Rawang rejuvenation plan will be able to improve traffic and address floods in the town.
He said congestion is among complaints from residents and traders, especially along the two main roads — Jalan Maxwell and Jalan Welman — that serve much of the town and are vital to commercial activity and mobility.
He added that the traffic issues stem from double parking during peak hours, especially as the population grows.
“(There are some who even) park in the middle of the road. This slows traffic and makes it backflow into nearby areas, especially during peak hours,” he told Media Selangor.
He said traffic studies must be done to identify the best solution.
“These roads are main routes that connect the town network and are part of the main FT01 Federal Road (Kuala Lumpur-Ipoh) alignment,” he explained.
He also said the 500-lot multistorey Park N’ Ride facility beside the Rawang KTM station was a good solution to deter roadside parking.
“A phased approach is important to ensure road restructuring is done comprehensively without creating new problems for residents and traders.
“Last time they said there isn’t enough parking, but the government has built a tiered parking (facility) with 500 lots, there should no longer be any reason for double or triple parking.
“So we want to use this rejuvenation plan to rearrange road alignments to prevent prolonged congestion there,” he said.
He added that the issue of flash floods on Jalan Maxwell deserves attention as the recurring disaster affects traders and causes them losses, even with the existing pump system.
“It has improved because we (installed) a pump, but sometimes when the rain is too heavy, it still floods, (albeit) briefly,” Chua said, adding that the disaster has deterred local traders from renting lots in the area.
