Merdeka Bridge, Malaysia, Tied-arch bridge on the Penang–Kedah border, Malaysia

The Merdeka Bridge (Jambatan Merdeka) is a pair of concrete tied-arch bridges on the Butterworth–Sungai Petani road, crossing the Muda River at the Penang–Kedah state border. Each of the twin spans carries two motor-vehicle lanes; the older bridge has two pedestrian walkways, the newer Penang-bound one has a single walkway.

A bridge at this crossing was first built by the British colonial administration, then destroyed with explosives in 1941 to slow the Japanese advance through northern Malaya. The Japanese forces put up a timber crossing over the Muda River instead. After the British returned in 1945 they rebuilt it in iron and concrete, and the present bridge was constructed between 1955 and 1956 and opened by Tunku Abdul Rahman on 6 April 1956.

The name Merdeka, Malay for independence, was chosen by Minister of Works and Communications Sardon Jubir to mark the Federation of Malaya's independence in 1957. Local accounts also tie the name to the villagers who helped rebuild the crossing after the war. The bridge links Kepala Batas in Penang with Sungai Petani in Kedah.

The bridge handles heavy traffic daily and requires regular maintenance to keep it safe for commuters. Expect congestion during peak hours in the early morning and late afternoon if you plan to cross.

The bridge is actually a pair of twin concrete tied-arch structures, not a single span. The older crossing carries two pedestrian walkways, while the newer Penang-bound duplicate has only one. The original was a two-lane single carriageway before the second bridge was added to raise capacity.