Johor’s Elevated ART Moving Forward, RFP Under Review - Loke

Johor is moving ahead with plans for an elevated Autonomous Rapid Transit  (ART) system to help manage traffic around Bukit Chagar, the Malaysian terminus of the upcoming Johor Bahru–Singapore RTS Link, Transport Minister Anthony Loke confirmed. 

Loke said the ART project is currently in the request-for-proposal stage. 

“Of course, the ministry will work with UKAS to expedite the awarding process for the project,” he said.

The minister highlighted that an elevated ART is flexible, with lanes usable by both rail and buses, and it can be built faster and cheaper than a full Light Rapid Transit system. Johor public works, transport, infrastructure and communications committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh urged the federal government to fast-track the ART, ideally by early next year, saying it’s crucial to keep traffic flowing before the RTS Link opens. 

The Regent of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim recently expressed concerns about congestion at Bukit Chagar. 

“To date, no comprehensive solution has been presented to accommodate the expected increase in traffic, including the implementation of an elevated autonomous rail transit system or other alternative transport options,” he stressed. The elevated ART will complement the new Bukit Chagar RTS station and a nearby RM2.6 billion integrated development by MRT Corp and Sunway, which includes the new immigration, customs, and quarantine complex.