If only we could have more tree-lined pedestrian walkways like this all over Penang and indeed other urban centres in Malaysia. It is not impossible as this project clearly shows.
This spacious tree-lined pavement along the Esplanade is a good example of an accessible pedestrian walkway.
It is located opposite the Penang state assembly building and was upgraded recently as a commitment by the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) to improve accessibility in the heritage area.
The improvements in the walkway were recommended by a UNDP-Government of Malaysia project on Accessible Public Transport. Some RM70,000 was spent by the MPPP in 2009 on enhancing the path. If more of the recommendations are implemented, Penang would have a very accessible pedestrian network around the heritage area.
Some of the work was done in the past. Now, it is a matter of connecting the walkways, correcting design flaws to make them more accessible to people with disabilities, planting trees to make the walkways shady, removing obstacles from walkways and, of course, enforcement.
Already a couple of stretches of more accessible walkways can be seen in the city – along the main gates of the state assembly building and the stretch from St Nicholas School leading to the Penang Adventist Hospital. More work is needed to make all pavements in the Penang accessible and shaded by trees.
We should also consider widening the pavements in George Town and elsewhere. For those who say that this will eat into road-space for motor vehicles, take a look at Oxford Street in the heart of London and look at how wide the pedestrian walkways are on either side of the road. The road itself is narrow and largely restricted to buses and taxis.
And this is one of London’s busiest streets. Of course, they have the London Underground, but a good surface public transport system could work just as well.
So why not Penang Road, Burma Road and Macalister Road, to name a few?
Oxford Street in Central London – Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
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agreed. but limited spaces between the building making it hard for plant with bigger canopy to grow. As of the pedestrian walkway, perhaps the local authorities should opt for cool pavement instead of just a concrete imprint? concrete as we all know, emitted more heat than other paving material and at the same time contributing to the urban heat island effect in georgetown.
just a penny for your thoughts.
even if guan eng has good intentions and may seem noble..it doesn’t help that the people under him (namely chow kon yeow) are incompetant and egoistical
wonder why this gerakan k or gerakan kaput gets so many coverage just …
please la just implement it!! sometime i drive a long and see the tourist and old folks walking i also feel bad.. 1) … hot 2) current walk way not safe (try walking 200m without stepping down the main road its IMPOSSIBLE) seem like the walk way is build not for public but for utility company to stage their “Stuff” TNB, TELEKOM, PBA, MPPP (their sign board and whatnot) if you guys need any idea how to build and implement a good walkway don’t look far singapore will do!!! TOLONG LA..
yeah..
in overseas there not hot like malaysia..
so think ahead!!!
malaysia is hot man..
need a tree of other cover for pedestrian..
need add cost..
LGE is no hv any ability to manage penang pedestrian..
no any diffrent in penang..
Yes. This is what a public walkway should be. For a tropical country, it should be covered to provide protection from rain. Providing clean, safe and pleasant walkway is the job of the city council. There should be more of it. 70K on it is worth every sen.
kudos to the Pakatan govt.
what had Gerakan done. Give out contract to build miserable walkway that collapse as soon as it is build. See the ones in Gurney road.
Dear Sarah , Kee, – in the eyes of penangites , LGE has done a very good job thus far – hardly 2 years after taking over the state govt , we can sensed it , and the majority is solidly behind our beloved chief minister – he will continue to rule
Ya, Sarah, i feel sorry for Guan Eng too, it is really a thankless job. He travelled economy class not like Ong Tee Keat private jet lor !!! He wore the same red new year outfit for year 2008, 2009 and 2010… where can we find such a Chief Minister like him, forever so humble, so “chin chai”? Guan Eng didnt DIG and spend the Rakyat’s hard earned money like the BN politicians but he saves the Rakyat’s hard earned money. He is worthy to be praised !!! And they have the guts to make noise on his rented premise… Read more »
The walkway in the photo is too wide. Careful we don’t pave paradise and turn it into a parking lot! š
haha, yes, yes, but better pedestrians than cars!
Heartwarming to see at last someone realises that many in Georgetown and elsewhere in Malaysia would like to be able to walk safely along properly maintained pedestrian only walkways. Parked cars, motorbikes, hawker stalls and more will soon ensure the walkways are not passable and pedestrians will have to return to walking among the traffic which does Malaysia road safety statistics no good. Unfortunatly many of old Georgetown’s roads are too narrow for simple solutions and enforced parking restrictions, more one way streets, and vehicle access restrictions will be needed without a complete change in the mindset of most car… Read more »
The Oxford type walkway is not suitable in a hot, humid tropical city like Penang, unless it it covered. We used to have 5 foot walk-ways that truely 5 feet wide. Unfortunately these are being phased out due to the greet of developers to squeeze as much as possible out of the land and the incompetence of our city planners. We don’t need to go to London to see how their city’s walkway are done, we just have to go down south across the causeway to the little red dot.
I agree space for wide walkways like along Oxford St, London, is limited in Penang so probably will achieve more in the short term to work on good (not necessarily wide) walkways in the more condensed and walkable parts of Penang. For Penang Rd, Burma Rd and Macalister Rd, I rather space be used for bike paths. However, I would like to caution Fencesitter’s comment that the Oxford St type walkway is not appropriate unless covered. Cover is OK, but they went too far with Petaling St in KL. I think the cover just makes it more humid, stuffy and… Read more »
Anil, sorry, sidetrack a bit, because i am very angry reading the caption in Malaysiakini – Cops zoom in on Guan Eng. They think Guan Eng has got nothing to do, is it? How many times the cops need to record statements from our beloved Chief Minister? I think these people are really too much already… Shame on the police and those who made reports against Lim Guan Eng for nothing !!! Even lately, Lim Kheng Yaik can see and agree that BN/Gerakan will never recapture Penang. Why ? It is simply because Mr Lim Kheng Yaik can see (he… Read more »
Malaysiakini ā Cops zoom in on Guan Eng
I agree, Kee – made me so upset.
It is such a thankless job. being the CM of Penang. On one hand, LGE has to deal with BN, the police, the MSM and on the other hand, he has to deal with the PR component parties, NGOs, …..
Very seldom do we hear a single word of encouragement, praise or even an acknowledgement that we know how hard he is trying and that we appreciate it.
Feel really sorry for him.
Do you know the CM’s salary is everyone dreaming of. Furthermore, do you insist LGE should be granted the immunity of police investigation ??? No one above the law.
The CM salary is not everyone dreaming compared to a corporate salary. The worst is when KTK and their UMNO cronies think not of the salary but … a greater dream like their ex UMNO who tried to (recommend a) RM2.00 (firm) for RM40 millions and LGE has to put a stop to that.. This is the mother of the worst kind and this is what UMNO and their cronies are. We do not want all even the PM to be granted immunity from police investigation. What happen to the Mongolian, Khir Toyo, Taib case etc etc. But is that… Read more »
what is CM’s salary?
How la Anil?
How ever best PR Govt tries to beautify and have clean pathways it will soon be gone.
Gerakan K’s party will set up illegal stalls along the tree-lined pathway, and rent it out.
If MPPP tries to clean up the illegal stalls, a certain Chamber Of Commerce would burn efigies, and put up banners “Jangan Cabar Bangsa “Gerakan K””
Put legal issue aside, the best food in Penang surprisingly is the hawker foods. Don’t belittle these illegal stalls.
More such walkways should be planned for a better Penang! I would make my way to Penang and purchase a piece of property there if only the PR Government can build such walkways and greens.
Not possible. Our mentality is very different from the “westerners”. Nice walkways in Malaysia will be filled with illegal stalls and warungs in no time! Just look around Penang (and even in Malaysia!)and you will see lots of nice walkways and pavements are being abused/misused by these hawkers/restauranters to place their stalls, warungs, tables and chairs at their convenience. Then we will have another headache of illegal parking when the customers just park their vehicles by the roadside (also at their convenience) to patronise these stalls and warungs. As long as our government and local council do not have the… Read more »
It is impossible. No money to do that. The stingy administration prefers to create some white elephant projects.
The photo from Anil is in Esplanade Penang and its done only lately (last year). Don’t just talking crab.
r u fr Pg?
Office in KL, Selangor, Singapore. Penang my hometown and voting state.
I hope you are NOT lying as any Penangites would have seen the road sign name displayed by Anil.
Actually I don’t understand what you mean. I said it is impossible to have more tree-lined pedestrian walkways due to shortage of money (because of unwise spending by state government).
The idiotic and unwise spending is by the previous Zero KPI, KTK Gerakan government which spend more than RM350,000 on the artificial hibiscus flower at the roundabout in Bukit Dumbar. Another blunder is the small bridge connecting Rawang Road to Lorong Kulit which was built at RM100,000/= and was dismantled because it was unsafe. It was rebuilt at another RM100,000/= Open your eyes Gerakan K. MPPP coffer was bankrupt and empty when LGE PR took over and now it has surplus of millions in its coffer so is the Penang side. Wake up…
Gerakan K,
Its not stingy, its frugal with spending the peoples` money unlike the previous government which rather spend it on their cronies.
Most of the streets in Penang are narrow so its hard to have many such pedestrian walkways. But at least the PR government under LGE with its limited resources is trying its best to create as many such walkways as possible.
Agreed. If Penang is to be the eco-town, then adequate walkways are to be built to encourage commuting via walking (distance lesser than 500m) that automatically cuts down unnecessary carbon emission. More acacia should be planted to provide shadings and if possible, to consider bicycle-for-rent like those in Paris (Velib). Another item to add in is street lamp. No point having plenty of pedestrian walk ways if they are not equip with adequate street lamps, which makes for perfect crime spot.