The under construction Batang Rajang Bridge (Jambatan Batang Rajang) is expected to be fully completed in March 2025.
According to a posting by Sarawak Works Department (JKR Sarawak), the bridge is part of the Coastal Highway Network, with it connecting Sarikei Town in Bintangor, to Tanjung Manis.
The bridge aims to reduce traffic along the Sibu – Tanjung manis road and further reduce time to reach destinations within both areas.
JKR said that once fully completed, road users can expect the usual two and a half hour drive from Sarikei to Tanjung Manis to be reduced to 45 minutes, with the route from Bintangor to Tanjung Manis reduced to just an hour from the current two hours.
The bridge was officially connected on 8 November 2024 via a Stiching Ceremony which was done by Sarawak Deputy Premier, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.
About bridges crossing Rajang river
The Batang Rajang Bridge started construction on 21 March 2019 with a cost of RM321 million. It was supposed to be completed on 21 March 2023, but had to be delayed due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, revising the completion date to 3 May 2024.
The bridge connects Pasi Road to Sibu/Tanjung Manis and involves a distance of 17 KM, with the bridge alone covering a distance of 1.2KM.
The Batang Rajang Bridge is the third bridge crossing the Rajang river (Batang Rajang) with the Lanang Bridge and later the Durin Bridge being the other two bridges.
Lanang Bridge was open in 2006 to connect Jalan Lanang Barat and Jalan Teluk Assan. It was built with a cost of RM180 million to replace the former river ferry service crossing the Batang Rajang. Users of the bridge had to pay a fee (toll) to use the bridge, but the goverment scrapped the toll 2015, enabling the bridge to be used for free since then.
Like the Lanang Bridge, the Durin Bridge was built to replace the ferry service crossing the Batang Rajang.
The 1.9KM bridge which connect Sibu and Durin is part of the Pan Borneo Highway Network and it was officially opened in 2020.
