Editing Penang Bridge

{{Short description|Road bridge connecting Penang Island with the Malay Peninsula}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{Cleanup rewrite|it contains multiple uncited, outdated and missing information. See '''[[Talk:Penang_Bridge#Article_requires_major_rework|rewrite guide]]''' on the talk page|date=March 2025}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2025}}
}}
{{EngvarB|date=March 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox road
| country        = MYS
| type           = E
| route          = 36
| alternate_name = Penang Bridge<br />{{Native name|zsm-Latn-MY|Jambatan Pulau Pinang|paren=omit}}<br />பினாங்கு பாலம்<br />槟威大桥
| length_km      = 13.5
| direction_a    = East
| terminus_a     = {{MES-E|1}} [[North–South Expressway Northern Route]] and {{JKR|3112}} [[Jalan Perusahan Perai]] at [[Perai]], Seberang Perai
| junction       =
| direction_b    = West
| terminus_b     = {{JKR|3113}} [[Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway]] and {{JKR|6}} [[Gelugor Highway]] at [[Gelugor]], Penang Island
| formed         = 1970s
| history        = Opened 3 August 1985{{Citation needed|date=January 2015}}, inaugurated 14 September 1985<ref name="PBSB info"/>
| system         =
| destinations   = [[George Town, Penang|George Town]], [[Bayan Lepas]], [[Perai]], [[Butterworth, Penang|Butterworth]], [[Bukit Mertajam]]
| map            = {{Highway system OSM map
|highway_system_qid=Q1521575
|frame-lat=5.34
|frame-long=100.36
|frame-width=290
|frame-height=300
|zoom=10
|length=
|plain=yes
|stroke-width=3
}}
| map_notes      = Penang Bridge in red
| map_custom     = yes
| photo          = Penang Bridge Dec2024-1.jpg
}}
{{Infobox bridge
| fetchwikidata = coordinates
| bridge_name   = Penang Bridge
| official_name = Penang Bridge
| locale        = Penang
| carries       = Motor vehicles
| crosses       = [[Penang Strait]], Malaysia
| mainspan      = 225 meters
| length        = {{Convert|13.5|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| width         = --
| begin         = 12 April 1982<ref name="PBSB info"/>
| complete      = 13 April 1985<ref name="PBSB info"/>
| inaugurated   = 14 September 1985<ref name="PBSB info"/>
| open          = 3 August 1985
| toll          = Depends on vehicle type (island-bound only)
| maint         = [[PLUS Expressways]]
| design        = [[Cable-stayed bridge]]<br />[[Box girder bridge]]
| designer      = '''Primary'''<br />[[Government of Malaysia]]<br />[[Malaysian Highway Authority]]<br /><br />'''Secondary'''<br />{{flagicon|South Korea}} [[Hyundai Engineering & Construction|Hyundai Engineering and Construction Company (Korea) Ltd]]<br />[[UEM Group|United Engineers Malaysia Berhad]]
| builder       = {{Collapsible list|framestyle=border:none; padding:0;|title=Multiple|'''Primary'''<br />'''Package 1'''<br />Loh & Loh Construction Co Ltd<br /><br />'''Package 2'''<br />Maraputra Sdn Bhd<br /><br />'''Package 3, 4 and 5'''<br />{{flagicon|South Korea}} Hyundai Engineering & Construction<br />Sykt. Pembinaan Hashbuddin (M) Sdn. Bhd. (Joint Venture)<br />Lim Kar Bee & Sons Sdn. Bhd. (Joint Venture)<br />United Engineers Malaysia Berhad<br /><br />'''Package 6 and 7'''<br />{{flagicon|South Korea}} Hyundai Engineering & Construction<br />Sykt Pembinaan Rahim & Sons Sdn. Bhd.<br /><br /><br />'''Secondary'''<br />Howard Needles & Tammen, Bergendoff Intl. Inc. SA/JK (SEA) (Consulting Engineer)}}
}}

The {{MES-E|36}} is a {{Convert|13.5|km|mi|abbr=off|adj=on}}<ref name="PLUS">{{cite web|title=Penang Bridge|url=http://plus.com.my/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=158&Itemid=181&lang=en|website=[[PLUS Expressways|PLUS Malaysia Berhad]]|access-date=14 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140629130138/http://plus.com.my/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=158&Itemid=181&lang=en|archive-date=29 June 2014|url-status=dead|location=Malaysia}}</ref><ref name="PBSB details">{{cite web|title=Bridge details|url=http://www.penangbridge.com.my/bridgedetails.php|website=Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd|access-date=14 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118191444/http://www.penangbridge.com.my/bridgedetails.php|archive-date=18 January 2012|location=Malaysia}}</ref> [[dual carriageway]] [[toll bridge]] and [[controlled-access highway]] in the Malaysian state of [[Penang]]. It connects [[Perai]] on the [[Seberang Perai|mainland side of the state]] with [[Gelugor]] on the [[Penang Island|island]], crossing the [[Penang Strait]]. The bridge was the first and, [[Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah Bridge|until 2014]], only road connection between the [[Peninsular Malaysia|peninsula]] and the island. It is [[List of longest bridges in the world|the second-longest bridge over water in Malaysia]], with a length over water of {{Convert|8.4|km|mi|abbr=off}}.<ref name="PBSB details"/>

Penang Bridge was inaugurated on 14 September 1985.<ref name="PBSB info">{{cite web|title=Bridge info|url=http://www.penangbridge.com.my/bridgeinfo.php|website=Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd|access-date=14 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118084859/http://www.penangbridge.com.my/bridgeinfo.php|archive-date=18 January 2012|location=Malaysia}}</ref> The current concession holder and maintainer is [[PLUS Expressways]]. Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd was the concession holder before it was merged with the current concessionaire.{{When|date=January 2015}}

==History==
===Chronology===
{|class=wikitable
|-
!Date!!Event
|-
|Early 1970s||The idea to build a bridge linking Seberang Perai to Penang Island was suggested by Prime Minister [[Abdul Razak Hussein]] and Chief Minister of Penang [[Lim Chong Eu]].
|-
|23 July 1981||Works Minister [[Samy Vellu]] announced that Penang Bridge would be constructed using the cable-stayed concrete girders of the San Francisco's [[Golden Gate Bridge]] instead of the steel-tied arch in the style of the [[Sydney Harbour Bridge]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Jambatan Pulau Pinang telan $530 juta|publisher=[[Berita Harian]]|date=20 November 1981|page=1|language=ms}}</ref> Speaking after his first cabinet meeting, prime minister [[Mahathir Mohamad]] said the government had picked the contractor for the job, though he declined to specify who it was.<ref>{{Cite web |date=24 July 1981 |title=What Penang Bridge will look like... |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19810724-1.2.93 |website=The Straits Times}}</ref>
|-
|1982||Construction of Penang Bridge officially began.
|-
|3 August 1985||Official opening of Penang Bridge by Prime Minister Mahathir.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/beritaharian19850801-1.2.36.2|title=Setelah 45 tahun kini jadi kenyataan|publisher=[[Berita Harian]]|date=1 August 1985|accessdate=31 May 2019|page=4|language=ms}}</ref>
|-
|14 September 1985||Penang Bridge is officially opened to traffic.<ref>{{cite news|title=Jambatan Pulau Pinang dirasmi|publisher=[[Berita Harian]]|date=16 September 1985|page=6|language=ms}}</ref>
|}

===Bridge widening===
When the bridge was initially constructed, the central span had six lanes, while the rest of the bridge had four. Widening of the entire bridge to six lanes began in January 2008 and was completed in late 2009.

==Features==
Penang Bridge has an overall length of {{convert|13.5|km|mi|abbr=on}}: {{convert|8.4|km|mi|abbr=on}} above water, {{convert|1.5|km|mi|abbr=on}} on Penang Island, and {{convert|3.6|km|mi|abbr=on}} in Prai. The {{Convert|255|m|ft|abbr=on}} main span is {{Convert|33|m|ft|abbr=on}} above water, held up by four {{Convert|101.5|m|ft|abbr=on}} towers. The carriageway has three lanes in each direction and a speed limit of {{Convert|70–80|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.penangbridge.com.my/bridgedetails.php|title=bridge details|publisher=Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd|access-date=21 December 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118191444/http://www.penangbridge.com.my/bridgedetails.php|archive-date=18 January 2012}}</ref>

The bridge has an emergency [[Rest area#Lay-bys|lay-by]] equipped with an [[SOS]] phone.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}} Traffic [[Closed-circuit television|CCTV]] and [[Variable Message Sign|VMS]] are installed at various locations.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}} The bridge carries a [[Tenaga Nasional]] 132kV power cable.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

==Tolls==
[[File:PenangBridge.jpg|left|thumb|Middle span of Penang Bridge]]

Since 1985, Penang Bridge has been [[Toll bridge|tolled]]. Fees are charged only when entering from the mainland and travelling towards Penang Island. Since 1994, the tolls have been collected by a private concession company, Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd, which has become a member of [[PLUS Malaysia Berhad]]. Beginning 1 January 2019, toll collection for motorcyclists, which used to be RM1.40, was abolished for both Penang bridges.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/11/03/motorcyclists-rejoice-as-they-dont-have-to-pay-toll-now|title=Motorcyclists rejoice as they don't have to pay toll now|date=3 November 2018|website=thestar.com.my}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=1 January 2019|title=No more bridge tolls for motorcyclists in Penang|url=https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2019/01/01/no-more-bridge-tolls-for-motorcyclists-in-penang/1707975|newspaper=Malay Mail|location=Petaling Jaya, Malaysia |access-date=1 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2019/01/446002/toll-charges-gone-penang-bridges-some-motorcyclists-still-taking-ferries|title=Toll charges gone at Penang bridges, but some motorcyclists still taking ferries|website=nst.com.my|first=Mohamed|last=Basyir|date=January 2019}}</ref>

===Electronic toll collection===
As part of an initiative to facilitate faster transactions at the Perai toll plaza, they have been exclusively conducted via [[electronic toll collection]] with the use of [[Touch 'n Go]] cards and [[SmartTAG]]s since 9 September 2015.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

===Fares===
''(Since 1 February 2020)''
{|class=wikitable style="margin:0 auto;text-align:center"
|-
!Class||Types of vehicles||Rate<br />(in [[Malaysian ringgit]] (RM))
|-
|'''1'''||Motorcycles<br /><small>(vehicles with two axles and two wheels)</small>||Free
|-
|'''2'''||Cars & motorcycles with [[sidecar]]s<br /><small>(vehicles with two axles and three or four wheels (including [[station wagons]] and [[commercial vehicle]]s))</small>||5.74
|-
|'''3A'''||Vans and & buses<br /><small>(vehicles with two axles and four wheels (excluding lorries))</small>||9.84
|-
|'''3B'''||Lorries<br /><small>(vehicles with two axles and four wheels (excluding vans and buses))</small>||12.00
|-
|'''4A'''||Vans & buses<br /><small>(vehicles with two axles and five or six wheels (excluding trucks))</small>||20.50
|-
|'''4B'''||Large trucks<br /><small>(vehicles with two axles and five or six wheels (excluding vans and buses))</small>||25.00
|-
|'''5A'''||Buses<br /><small>(vehicles with three axles (excluding trucks))</small>||36.90
|-
|'''5B'''||Large trucks<br /><small>(vehicles with three axles (excluding buses))</small>||45.00
|-
|'''6'''||Large trucks<br /><small>(vehicles with four axles)</small>||60.00
|-
|'''7'''||Large trucks<br /><small>(vehicles with five or more axles)</small>||75.00
|}

==List of interchanges==
{{kmposts}}
{|class=wikitable
|-
!km||Exit||Interchange||To||Notes
|-
| || || ||{{MES-E|1}} {{Jct|country=ASIA|AH|2}} '''[[North-South Expressway Northern Route]]'''<br /><br />'''North'''<br />[[Alor Setar]]<br />[[Permatang Pauh]]<br />[[Seberang Jaya]]||
|-
| colspan="5" style="text-align:center" bgcolor="green" |'''<span style="color:white;">{{Jct|country=MYS|E2|1}} {{Jct|country=ASIA|AH|2}} North-South Expressway Northern Route</span>'''
|-
| colspan="5" style="text-align:center" bgcolor="green" |'''<span style="color:white;">{{Jct|country=MYS|E2|36}} {{Jct|country=ASIA|AH|2}} Penang Bridge<br />(Tun Hussein Onn Highway)</span>'''
|-
|{{MES-E|36}}<br />'''0'''|| ||'''[[Perai Interchange]]'''||'''Northwest'''<br />{{MES-E|17}}''' {{JKR|1}} [[Butterworth Outer Ring Road]]'''<br />{{JKR|1}} Perai<br />{{JKR|1}} Butterworth<br /><br />'''Southeast'''<br />{{JKR|1}} '''[[Butterworth-Kulim Highway]]'''<br />{{JKR|1}} [[Bukit Mertajam]]||Partial cloverleaf interchange
|-
| || ||'''Railway crossing bridge'''|| ||
|-
| ||3601A<br />3601B|'''[[Penang Bridge Interchange]]'''||3601A<br />{{MES-E|1}} {{Jct|country=ASIA|AH|2}} '''[[North-South Expressway Northern Route]]'''<br /><br />'''South'''<br />[[Kuala Lumpur]]<br />[[Ipoh]]<br />[[Bukit Tambun]]<br /><br /><br />3601B<br />{{JKR|3112}} '''[[Jalan Perusahan Perai]]'''<br /><br />'''Northwest'''<br />Perai Industrial Area<br /><br />'''Southeast'''<br />Juru||3601A<br />Stacked expressway interchange<br /><br />3601B<br />Cloverleaf interchange
|
|-
| colspan="5" style="text-align:center" bgcolor="green" |'''<span style="color:white;">{{Jct|country=MYS|E2|36}} {{Jct|country=ASIA|AH|2}} Penang Bridge<br />(Tun Hussein Onn Highway)</span>'''
|-
| colspan="5" style="text-align:center" bgcolor="green" |'''<span style="color:white;">{{Jct|country=MYS|E2|36}} Penang Bridge</span>'''
|-
| || ||U-Turn||'''U-TURN'''<br />{{MES-E|36}} '''Tun Hussein Onn Highway'''<br />Perai<br />Butterworth<br /><br />{{Parking signs}} {{TnG TAG}}||
|-
| colspan="5" style="text-align:center" bgcolor="green" |'''<span style="color:white;">Perai toll plaza (PLAZA A)<br />(Enter bridge only)<br />PBSB<br /><br />{{TAG}} {{TnG}} {{TnG POS}} [[MyRFID|<span style="padding:1px .2em; background-color:#e6e6e6; color:#214682; font-weight:bold;">My</span><span style="padding:1px .2em; background-color:#e6e6e6; color:#ff0000; font-weight:bold;">RFID</span>]]<br />Opened toll system<br />Pay toll<br />Light and heavy vehicles only</span>'''
|-
| colspan="5" style="text-align:center" bgcolor="green" |'''<span style="color:white;">Perai toll plaza (PLAZA B)<br />(Enter bridge only)<br />PBSB<br /><br />{{TAG}} {{TnG}} {{TnG POS}} [[MyRFID|<span style="padding:1px .2em; background-color:#e6e6e6; color:#214682; font-weight:bold;">My</span><span style="padding:1px .2em; background-color:#e6e6e6; color:#ff0000; font-weight:bold;">RFID</span>]]<br />Opened toll system<br />Pay toll<br />Light and heavy vehicles only</span>'''
|-
| || ||{{Parking Layby signs}} Perai toll plaza<br />'''PBSB'''||{{Parking signs}} {{TnG TAG}}||Enter bridge only
|-
| || ||U-turn||'''U-TURN'''<br />{{MES-E|36}} '''Penang Bridge'''<br />George Town<br />Bayan Lepas<br /><br />{{Parking signs}} {{TnG TAG}}||
|-
| || ||'''Penang Bridge'''<br />Length over water: 8.4 kilometres|| ||
|-
| ||3602A<br />3602B<br />3602C ||'''Gelugor-Penang Bridge Interchange'''||3602B '''West'''<br />{{JKR|6}} '''[[Gelugor Highway]]'''<br />[[Malaysian Highway Authority]] (LLM) Regional office<br />Jelutong<br />Gelugor<br />[[Universiti Sains Malaysia]] (USM) {{University sign}}<br /><br />{{JKR|3113}} '''[[Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway]]'''<br />'''([[Bayan Lepas Expressway]])'''<br />3602C '''North'''<br />George Town/ Weld Quay<br>Air Itam<br />Batu Feringgi<br />[[Penang Hospital]] {{Hospital sign}}<br /><br />3602A '''South'''<br />[[Batu Maung]]<br />[[Bayan Lepas]] Industrial area<br />[[Penang International Airport]] {{Airport signs}}<br />Jerejak Island (Jetty)||Stacked expressway interchange
|-
| || ||[[Lotus's]] Penang||{{Parking signs}}||
|-
| ||3602C<br />'''North'''||'''Jalan Tengku Kudin Interchange'''||'''WEST'''<br />{{JKR(P)|19}} '''[[Penang Middle Ring Road]]'''<br />'''Jalan Yengku Kudin'''<br />Gelugor<br />Batu Feringgi<br />Tanjung Bungah<br />Air Itam<br />[[Penang Hospital]] {{Hospital sign}}||Interchange from/to Penang Bridge and Bayan Lepas only
|-
| colspan="5" style="text-align:center" bgcolor="green" |'''<span style="color:white;">{{Jct|country=MYS|E2|36}} Penang Bridge<br />({{JKR|3113}} Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway)<br /><small>(Bayan Lepas Expressway)</small><br />PBSB border limit</span>'''
|-
| colspan="5" style="text-align:center" bgcolor="blue" |'''<span style="color:white;">{{JKR|3113}} Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway<br /><small>(Jelutong Expressway)</small><br />JKR and MPPP border limit</span>'''
|-
| || || ||'''North'''<br />{{JKR|3113}} '''[[Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway]]'''<br />'''(Jelutong Expressway) George Town/Weld Quay<br />Komtar Ferry<br />Sungai Pinang'''
|
|}

===3602B Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) link===
{|class=wikitable
|-
!km||Exit||Interchange||To||Remarks
|-
| || ||[[Malaysian Highway Authority]] Northern Regional Office||Malaysian Highway Authority Northern Regional Office||
|-
| ||3602B<br />'''WEST'''||'''Universiti Sains Malaysia Interchange'''||{{JKR|6}} '''[[Gelugor Highway]]'''<br />'''North'''<br />[[George Town, Penang|George Town City Centre]]<br />[[Jelutong]]<br />[[Gelugor]]<br />[[Universiti Sains Malaysia]] (USM) {{University sign}}<br />[[Penang Hospital]] {{Hospital sign}}<br /><br />'''South'''<br />[[Balik Pulau]]<br />[[Bayan Lepas]]<br />[[Penang International Airport]] {{Airport signs}}||Trumpet interchange
|}

==Commemorative events==
Commemorative postage stamps to mark the opening of Penang Bridge were issued by the Malaysian Postal Services Department (now [[Pos Malaysia]]) on 15 September 1985.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://stampsofmalaysia.blogspot.com/2008/05/penang-bridge.html|title=The Penang Bridge|publisher=Stamps of Malaysia|date=14 May 2008|accessdate=31 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080619194049/http://stampsofmalaysia.blogspot.com/2008/05/penang-bridge.html|archive-date=19 June 2008}}</ref> The denominations for these stamps were 20 sen, 40 sen, and RM 1.00.

==Incidents and accidents==
Over the years of its operation, the bridge has been a frequent spot for road accidents<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bikesrepublic.com/featured/penang-bridge-suv-accident-it-was-the-5th-time|title=Penang Bridge SUV Accident – It was the 5th Time!|date=22 January 2019}}</ref> and suicides.

On 20 January 2019, two cars travelling mainland-bound collided, with one plunging into the [[Strait of Malacca]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/01/20/car-plunges-into-sea-after-collision-on-penang-bridge/|title=Car plunges into sea after collision on Penang Bridge |work=[[The Star (Malaysia)|The Star]]|date=20 January 2019|access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref> A search operation was launched for the submerged car, and the victim was later found dead.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/01/20/missing-driver-of-suv-that-plunged-into-sea-believed-to-be-college-student/|title=Missing SUV Driver that plunged into sea believed to be college student|work=[[The Star (Malaysia)|The Star]]|date=20 January 2019|access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref>

==In popular culture==
Penang Bridge became a subject matter in [[Lat (cartoonist)|Lat]]'s 1987 comic book ''Lat and Gang''. On page 58, Lat illustrates various situations taking place on the bridge.<ref>{{cite book|title=Lat and Gang|chapter=Penang Bridge|author=[[Lat (cartoonist)|Lat]]|publisher=Berita Publishing|location=Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia|year=1987|page=58|isbn=978-967-969-157-3}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[North–South Expressway (Malaysia)|North–South Expressway]]
* [[Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Penang Bridge}}
{{Attached KML|display=inline,title}}
* [https://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&hl=en&ll=5.352667,100.349293&spn=0.0805,0.117073&om=1 Satellite image of Penang Bridge on Google Maps]
* {{Structurae|id=20001818|title=Penang Bridge}}

{{Main bridges in Malaysia}}
{{Cable-stayed bridges in Southeast Asia}}
{{Malaysian Expressway System}}
{{Northern Corridor Economic Region}}

[[Category:1985 establishments in Malaysia]]
[[Category:Cable-stayed bridges in Malaysia]]
[[Category:Expressways in Malaysia]]
[[Category:Bridges completed in 1985]]
[[Category:Expressways and highways in Penang]]
[[Category:Toll bridges in Malaysia]]
[[Category:Northern Corridor Economic Region]]
[[Category:Bridges in Penang]]