CITY Hall has restored the illumination along an Inanam main road, while the Public Works Department (PWD) plans to have streetlights put up at select locations along another in Membakut, as well as in Beaufort.
A spokesman with the Engineering Department for the former agency said 14 lights on the median in one part of Jalan Tuaran Bypass were recently found to be inoperative.
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“The incoming cable between these amenities was found to have snapped in two,” he said.
“Our technicians replaced the damaged sections of the power line, before testing the lights that afternoon to ensure that they were functional.”
They returned later that night and for several days afterwards to check if verge and divider in the Kuala Inanam area was properly lit.
“The contractor, tasked with looking after the main road in this area, has been asked to make periodic checks to ensure that the lights are functional and pre-empt potential dangers to road-users.
“Motorists and pedestrians, who use the stretch, can also do their part to inform us of any problems with these amenities.”
This action was prompted by feedback from a Manggatal driver about the lack of maintenance carried out on the lights in this part of Inanam.
She had noticed that the lanterns for several of these amenities had come away from their housings and were dangling down over the divider on Jalan Tuaran Bypass.
The road-user, who uses the stretch frequently to travel to and from her workplace, expressed concern about the harm which could befall motorists should any of the hanging lanterns suddenly give way.
She provided Hotline with the location of the affected amenities. This information was forwarded to the agency.
The spokesman said its contractor verified the problems with the lights in question.
“The individual and his team came back after dark to deal with these irregularities,” he said.
He said a sky-master was deployed in this instance to facilitate efforts to reattach the lanterns to their housings.
When asked how often maintenance was carried out on the public lighting under City Hall’s jurisdiction, the spokesman said there was no fixed-schedule for this work.
“These amenities are attended to as and when it becomes necessary to do so. Nevertheless, we have asked our contractors to be more diligent about keeping an eye on the condition of the lights within its rating-area.”
Meanwhile, the PWD is the midst of addressing the absence of public lighting on Jalan Simpang Bandau Membakut and the section of the Pan Borneo highway being constructed in Beaufort.
A Department spokesman said it intended to have lights erected at U-turns, major intersections, bridges and flyovers on both roads.
“We cannot afford to have these stretches illuminated from end to end,” he said.
“The costs of the initial outlay and maintenance for these amenities would place a financial burden on the government.”
He said the agency might consider having reflective signs put up along the two roads so that drivers can gauge where the edges of the road are at night.
“Tiger-eyes could be installed in the medians. These luminous markings should delineate the traffic lanes on the stretch after dark and prevent drivers from inadvertently encroaching into the path of oncoming traffic.”
He said this was a possible strategy to minimise the likelihood of accidents happening on the two stretches after dark.
The spokesman was responding to a Beaufort driver’s concerns posed about the traffic hazards posed by these unlit roads.
He said many motorists found it difficult to make out oncoming vehicles at night.
“This is especially so when there is a downpour,” he said.
“Motorists risk colliding with pedestrians or strays on these stretches because of the lack of illumination here.”
The road-user was of the opinion that, on top of streetlights, “reflectors” needed to be installed at certain sections of both roads.
“I hope the relevant authorities will seriously consider providing these facilities for the safety of the hundreds of drivers who use the two stretches.”
