Source: The Star

Persiaran Gurney, one of Penang’s most iconic coastal stretches, is undergoing a series of significant changes aimed at improving traffic flow, parking management, and pedestrian experience.

Among the most visible changes is the closure of the iconic roundabout near the Anjung Gurney open-air hawker centre, which has been boarded up as part of ongoing underground sewer piping works and its integration into a new multi-lane expressway connecting to Andaman Island.

At the same time, authorities have begun removing roadside parking bays along Persiaran Gurney. Several dozen bays — from near the roundabout to opposite Gurney Plaza — were taken out in early May as part of a broader traffic management plan. Pulau Tikus assemblyman Joshua Woo confirmed that a formal announcement would follow once the city council completes its technical assessment.

Central to the transformation is the expansion of parking capacity at Gurney Bay. Phase One already provides 68 car parking bays, while Phase Two adds 143 ground-level bays opposite the Bali Hai restaurant. The centrepiece, however, is an upcoming multi-storey parking facility that will offer an additional 602 bays, bringing the total parking capacity in the area to well over 800 bays. Motorcyclists are also catered for, with 233 bays spread across both phases and the new multi-storey facility. To support tourism, 12 dedicated bus parking bays have been allocated in Phase Two.

Woo noted that the 193 roadside parking bays currently along Persiaran Gurney and adjacent roads contribute significantly to congestion, effectively reducing moving lanes to single lanes during peak periods. Channelling motorists into designated facilities, he believes, will meaningfully improve traffic dispersal along the coastal road.

Adding to the area’s rejuvenation is the long-awaited relocation of the Anjung Gurney hawker centre into a purpose-built facility at Gurney Bay, expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2027. The new centre will house 127 food stalls, seven beverage stalls, 17 retail units, and 43 kiosks — easing the chronic congestion that has long plagued the area around the existing hawker centre.

Woo envisions Persiaran Gurney evolving into a model urban district with smoother traffic, safer streets, and vibrant public spaces that both locals and tourists can enjoy.

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