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Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Bridge

Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Bridge (Malay: Jambatan Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien, Jawi: جمبتن سلطان حاج عمر علي سيف الدين), also known as Temburong Bridge (Malay: Jambatan Temburong, Jawi: جمبتن تمبوروڠ), is a dual-carriageway bridge in Brunei that spans across Brunei Bay, connecting the Bruneian mainland with its semi-exclave of Temburong District.[1][2] It is the longest bridge in Southeast Asia, at 30 kilometres (19 mi) long.

Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Bridge

Jambatan Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien
جمبتن سلطان حاج عمر علي سيف الدين
Coordinates4°53′09″N 115°04′54″E / 4.8857°N 115.0818°E / 4.8857; 115.0818
CarriesMotor vehicles
CrossesBrunei Bay
LocaleBrunei
Named forSultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III
Maintained byPublic Works Department
Characteristics
DesignBox girder and cable-stayed bridge
Total length30 km (19 mi)
History
DesignerArup Group
Constructed by
Construction startmid-2014
Construction end2019
Construction costB$1.6 billion
Opened17 March 2020; 4 years ago (2020-03-17)
Location
Map

Design and features

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The bridge features several unique architectural elements that reflect Brunei's cultural and religious identity. At the highest points, star and crescent symbols are prominently displayed, signifying Brunei as a Muslim state, similar to their placement atop mosque domes. Road signs featuring the three kalimahs (Islamic declarations) are strategically placed along the bridge to remind drivers to remember Allah while travelling. The bridge's triangular, gem-like structure, resembling two hands holding firmly, symbolises the nation's strength and resilience. Additionally, a dome-like structure represents the unity of Brunei's four districts, emphasising national cohesion and harmony.[3]

Construction

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The 2006–2025 National Land Use Master Plan calls for increased connection between Brunei–Muara and Temburong Districts, citing the geographical isolation of the Temburong District as a developmental constraint. In 2012, Public Works Department consultants conducted a feasibility study for a bridge link, which verified that the project was technically possible, fiscally viable, and environmentally manageable. After that, a thorough environmental impact assessment was put out to bid in September 2012. By June 2013, pre-qualification offers for construction were issued, encompassing important infrastructure such tunnels beneath the Subok ridgeline and sea viaducts. The bridge, which is anticipated to be finished by 2018, would complete a portion of the Pan Borneo Highway and improve Temburong's growth, strengthening Brunei and Sabah's economic relations.[4]

The construction of the bridge was divided into six 'packages' or contracts.[5][6] The first was CC1 or the Mentiri Tunnels which involved the construction of a series of tunnels through the Mentiri Ridges which connects Jalan Utama Mentiri, a controlled-access dual carriageway with Jalan Kota Batu. Other construction packages included CC2, CC3 and CC4 comprising marine viaducts, navigation bridges and Temburong viaduct respectively. CC2 and CC3 were awarded to Daelim, a South Korean company, which was responsible for constructing a system of viaducts and two cable-stayed bridges that crosses the Brunei Bay.[7] Meanwhile, China State Construction Engineering was awarded the CC4 contract and was responsible for constructing the land viaduct which traverses the mangrove swamp of Labu Forest Reserve.[8][9][10][11][12] CC5A and CC5B are the traffic control and survelliance system, and power supply system respectively. The project is reported to cost 1.6 billion Brunei dollars (US$1.2 billion as of March 2018).[2][13]

Construction on the bridge started in 2014 and was expected to be completed and opened by the end of 2019, but it ultimately opened during March 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the bridge was opened ahead of schedule on 17 March 2020, a day after Brunei barred most non-resident foreigners from entering the country, and most citizens and residents from leaving, which would have otherwise disconnected Temburong from the rest of the country.[14]

On 14 July 2020, on the occasion of Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah's 74th birthday, the bridge was named the Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Bridge in honour of the Sultan's late father, Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Saadul Khairi Waddien, who is widely regarded as the architect of modern Brunei.[15]

Route

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The road system is a controlled-access dual carriageway which begins at a grade-separated interchange with Jalan Utama Mentiri between the Sungai Akar roundabout and the Salambigar intersection. The road then goes through two parallel tunnels and ends at another grade-separated interchange with Jalan Kota Batu. This section is 3.6 kilometres (2.2 miles) long.[16] The bridge then begins, with a 14.5-kilometre (9.0-mile) viaduct across the Brunei Bay, passing across the tip of Pulau Berambang, then in between Pulau Pepatan and Pulau Baru-Baru, up to Tanjung Kulat in Temburong.[17] Finally, another 11.8-kilometre (7.3-mile) viaduct begins from Tanjung Kulat and ends at Jalan Labu, traversing through Labu Forest Reserve, and includes a bridge which crosses the Labu River, before intersecting with Jalan Labu at a roundabout.[16]

It connects Mengkubau and Sungai Besar in Brunei-Muara District with Labu Estate in Temburong District. This is the only road bridge in the country that directly links the mainland with the Temburong exclave, which are physically separated by the Sarawakian district of Limbang in Malaysia and Brunei Bay in the South China Sea. The bridge allows commuters to travel between the two territories without having to go through Malaysia, bypassing four immigration checkpoints along the mainland route and shortening travel times between Temburong and the capital Bandar Seri Begawan. Previously, the only direct connection between the capital and Bangar, the district town, was via water taxi services, which took about 45 minutes.[18]

Junction list

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DistrictMukimLocationkmmiDestinationsNotes
Brunei-MuaraKota BatuMengkubauJalan Penghubung Mentiri – Sungai Akar, Subok, Pulaie, Salambigar, LambakUnder construction
Mentiri Tunnel 1 (under construction)
Mentiri Tunnel 2 (under construction)
Sungai BesarJalan Kota Batu – Sungai Besar, Mentiri, Tanah Jambu, Muara, Kota Batu, Bandar Seri BegawanNorthwest-bound exit and southeast-bound entrance only
Brunei River estuaryTemburong Bridge over the Brunei River
Allocation for future connection to Pulau Berambang
Brunei BayTemburong Bridge over the Brunei Bay
Allocation for future connections to Pulau Pepatan and Pulau Baru-Baru
Limbang, Limbang, Sarawak, MalaysiaTemburong Bridge over the Brunei Bay
TemburongLabuLabu Forest ReserveSungai Pasu Gadong bridge
Labu EstateLabu River bridge
Jalan Labu: Labu, Bangar, Puni, Ujong Jalan, Batu Apoi, Amo
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

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  1. ^ "Latest photos of Borneo's longest bridge project in Brunei". BtuWeekly. 2017-04-10. Retrieved 2018-03-28.
  2. ^ a b "Temburong Bridge 30-35% done, set for completion by Nov 2019 – Borneo Bulletin Online". Borneo Bulletin Online. 2017-07-21. Archived from the original on 2018-04-02. Retrieved 2018-03-28.
  3. ^ Jambatan Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien. Bandar Seri Begawan: Information Department, Prime Minister's Office. p. 27. ISBN 978-99917-84-27-4.
  4. ^ BRUNEI MUARA DISTRICT PLAN. Bandar Seri Begawan: Department of Town and Country Planning, Ministry of Development. January 2015. pp. 3-22 and 3-23.
  5. ^ "Mega bridge project on right track | The BT Archive". btarchive.org. Retrieved 2018-03-28.
  6. ^ Dickerson, Clinton B. "PWD - Temburong Bridge - Brunei - Project Profile". www.researchandexperts.com. Retrieved 2018-03-28.[dead link‍]
  7. ^ DAELIM. "Read - | DAELIM |". www.daelim.co.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-03-28.
  8. ^ "Brunei, China sign Temburong Bridge Project - Xinhua | English.news.cn". www.xinhuanet.com. Archived from the original on 2018-03-28. Retrieved 2018-03-28.
  9. ^ "2 Temburong Bridge contracts inked | The Brunei Times". Archived from the original on 2016-02-01.
  10. ^ "Proposed Temburong Bridge Project - Industry Briefing Day Session 0" (PDF). Public Works Department Brunei. Retrieved 19 June 2014.[permanent dead link‍]
  11. ^ Kamit, Rabiatul (10 May 2013). "Temburong Bridge ready 2018". The Brunei Times. Archived from the original on 15 June 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  12. ^ "Connecting Brunei ... with Brunei: Will this bridge change the sultanate forever?". CNN. 9 Sep 2017. Retrieved 21 Sep 2017.
  13. ^ "XE: Convert BND/USD. Brunei Darussalam Dollar to United States Dollar". xe.com. Retrieved 2018-03-28.
  14. ^ Abu Bakar, Rasidah (16 March 2020). "Temburong bridge opens to traffic today". The Scoop. Archived from the original on 19 March 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
  15. ^ Othman, Azlan (14 July 2020). "Sultan urges ministries to work together in face of pandemic". Borneo Bulletin. Archived from the original on 14 August 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  16. ^ a b "Proposed Temburong Bridge Project - Industry Briefing Day Session 2" (PDF). Public Works Department Brunei. Retrieved 19 June 2014.[permanent dead link‍]
  17. ^ "Proposed Temburong Bridge Project - Industry Briefing Day Session 1" (PDF). Public Works Department Brunei. Retrieved 19 June 2014.[permanent dead link‍]
  18. ^ "Travelling Facility to Temburong from Bandar Seri Begawan | Brunei's No.1 News Website". www.brudirect.com. Retrieved 2018-03-28.
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