Мост Пенанг: История и особенности строительства и эксплуатации

Road bridge connecting Penang Island with the Malay Peninsula

DateEventEarly 1970sThe idea to build a bridge linking Seberang Perai to Penang Island was suggested by the late Tun Abdul Razak, the second Prime Minister of Malaysia and the late Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu, the second Chief Minister of Penang.23 July 1981Works Minister, S. Samy Vellu announced that Penang Bridge, Penang would be constructed using the cable stayed concrete girder of the San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge instead of the steel tied arch in the style of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.1982Construction of Penang Bridge officially began.3 August 1985Official opening of Penang Bridge by fourth Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir.14 September 1985Penang Bridge is officially opened to traffic.

When the bridge was initially constructed, the central span had six lanes, while the rest of the bridge had four lanes. The project to widen the entire bridge to six lanes began in January 2008 and was completed in late 2009.

Penang Bridge has an overall length of : above water, on Penang Island and in Prai. The 225 m main span is 33 m above water, held up by four 101.5 m towers. The carriageway has 3 lanes in each direction and a speed limit of 70–80 km/h. The bridge has an emergency layby equipped with SOS phone. Traffic CCTV and Variable Message Sign (VMS) are installed at all locations along the bridge. The bridge carries a Tenaga Nasional 132kV power cable.

Since 1985, the Penang Bridge has been a tolled bridge. Fees are charged only at one direction, when entering the bridge from the mainland and travelling towards Penang Island. There are no fees imposed for mainland bound motorists coming from the island. Since 1994, the tolls have been collected by a private concession company, Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd, which has become a member company of PLUS Malaysia Berhad. Beginning 1 January 2019, toll collection for motorcyclists was abolished for both Penang bridges. The price used to be RM1.40. Since then, the toll canopy for motorcyclists was converted into a layby for motorcyclists.

As part of an initiative to facilitate faster transactions at the Perai Toll Plaza, all toll transactions at this toll plaza on the Penang Bridge have been exclusively conducted via electronic toll collection with the use of Touch 'n Go cards and SmartTAGs since 9 September 2015.

kmExitInterchangeToRemarks North South Expressway Northern RouteNorthAlor SetarPermatang PauhSeberang Jaya North South Expressway Northern Route Penang Bridge(Tun Hussein Onn Highway)0 Perai InterchangeNorthwest Butterworth Outer Ring Road Perai ButterworthSoutheast Butterworth Kulim Highway Bukit MertajamParcelo cloverleaf interchange Railway crossing bridge Penang Bridge Interchange3601A North South Expressway Northern RouteSouthKuala LumpurIpohBukit Tambun3601B Jalan Perusahan PeraiNorthwestPerai Industrial AreaSoutheastJuru3601AStacked expressway interchange3601BCloverleaf interchange Penang Bridge(Tun Hussein Onn Highway) Penang Bridge U TurnU TURN Tun Hussein Onn HighwayPeraiButterworth Perai toll plaza (PLAZA A)(Enter bridge only)PBSB MyRFIDOpened toll systemPay tollLight and heavy vehicles onlyPerai toll plaza (PLAZA B)(Enter bridge only)PBSB MyRFIDOpened toll systemPay tollLight and heavy vehicles only Perai toll plazaPBSB Enter bridge only U TurnU TURN Penang BridgeGeorge TownBayan Lepas Penang BridgeLength Over Water: 8.4 kilometres 3602A3602B3602C Gelugor Penang Bridge Interchange3602B West Gelugor HighwayMalaysian Highway Authority (LLM) Regional OfficeJelutongGelugorUniversiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway(Bayan Lepas Expressway)3602C NorthGeorge Town/ Weld QuayAir ItamBatu FeringgiPenang Hospital 3602A SouthBatu MaungBayan Lepas Industrial AreaPenang International Airport Jerejak Island (Jetty)Stacked expressway Interchange Tesco Penang 3602CNorthJalan Tengku Kudin InterchangeWEST Penang Middle Ring RoadJalan Yengku KudinGelugorBatu FeringgiTanjung BungahAir ItamPenang Hospital Interchange from/to Penang Bridge and Bayan Lepas only Penang Bridge( Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway)(Bayan Lepas Expressway)PBSB border limit Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway(Jelutong Expressway)JKR and MPPP border limit North Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway(Jelutong Expressway) George Town/Weld QuayKomtar FerrySungai Pinang

Commemorative postage stamps to mark the opening of the Penang Bridge on 1985 were issued by the then Malaysian Postal Services Department (now Pos Malaysia) on 15 September 1985. The denominations for these stamps were 20 sen, 40 sen, and RM 1.00.

Over the years in its operation, the bridge has been a frequent spot for road accidents and suicides. On 20 January 2019, two cars travelling mainland bound collided and one plunged into the Malacca Strait as a result. A search operation was launched for the submerged car and the victim was later found dead.

Penang Bridge became a subject matter in cartoonist, Lat's comic book, Lat and Gang published in 1987 by Berita Publishing. In the comic's page 58, Lat illustrated various situations took place at the bridge.