Issues will worsen earlier than it will get higher. That’s a line from Tan Sri Azmil Khalili Khalid, chairman of the AFA Group. Previously often known as Anih Berhad, AFA is the concessionaire for the KL-Karak Freeway and Lebuhraya Pantai Timur (LPT) 1. He mentioned that in a media briefing right now on the Karak Freeway widening venture, asking for persistence from motorists for the following 4 years.
In case you haven’t already heard, the KL-Karak Freeway and LPT1, which connects Klang Valley to the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia, shall be widened all the way in which from Gombak to Bentong. The RM2.1 billion venture shall be beginning in January 2025 and the venture will take 48 months, or 4 years to finish. That’s the ‘ache’ Azmil was referring to, however from what we discovered right now, it is going to be definitely worth the wait.
Through the years, site visitors has been getting heavier on the Karak/LPT1, and the congestion throughout weekends, and particularly throughout festivals, is dangerous, to place it mildly. The necessity for an enlargement is there, and AFA Group is spearheading this venture with out utilizing public funds. Will there be a rise in toll fares? Azmil says he hopes so, however in the end it’s within the fingers of the federal government.
So as to add a lane all the way in which from Gombak to Bentong is a big endeavor when you think about the terrain concerned – up and down the mountain vary, with a tunnel too. In a nutshell, the present twin three-lanes from the Gombak toll plaza to Genting Sempah shall be upgraded to twin four-lanes, which implies 4 lanes on all sides, equal to a 25% capability enhance for every route.
At current, it’s two lanes on all sides from Genting Sempah to the Bentong toll plaza – this shall be upgraded to a few. There gained’t be further lanes for the Genting Sempah tunnel, which first half (Kuantan-KL) was accomplished in 1978 and second half (KL-Kuantan) opened in 1996. As an alternative, this venture will embrace a model new tunnel, constructed 30 metres to the left of right now’s eastbound tunnel.
We had been instructed that with three tunnels, two can be utilized for one explicit route when it’s tremendous busy, say eastbound in the course of the balik kampung exodus. When Hari Raya holidays come to an finish, two tunnels can be utilized for westbound site visitors. With an ‘further participant’ within the combine, upkeep works may also be achieved extra simply with none disruption.
Talking of disruptions, AFA Group’s senior VP Vijayaraj Govindarajoo says that there shall be no lane closures all through this venture, which is shocking contemplating the challenges concerned. As an alternative, they’ll make do with the emergency lane, however the group’s engineering chief acknowledged that after they put up cones/boundaries, motorists will mechanically decelerate and there’s sure to be extra congestion.
Other than an additional lane from Gombak to Bentong and the brand new tunnel, AFA Group says that the improved Karak/LPT1 will function enhancements reminiscent of a three-metre large shoulder a.ok.a. emergency lane. Apparently, such a large shoulder is unusual for hilly highways, and this may enhance security.
One other side that may enhance security for customers is that the Karak/LPT1 shall be totally lighted up – at the moment, solely the primary half of the stretch has lights.
These are the enhancements that we will see. These that aren’t seen, however no much less important, embrace slope stabilisation works, extending present vehicular field culverts as required, upgrading drainage techniques to forestall flooding, relocating and reinstalling highway furnishings, and site visitors administration in the course of the building part. By the way in which, there may also be no land acquisition for this venture, as the additional lane will nonetheless be throughout the freeway’s boundaries.
In case you’re somebody who travels between the Klang Valley and East Coast typically, you’ll certainly welcome this improve and recognise that it’s a large endeavor by way of engineering and geography. Within the meantime, let’s bersusah-susah dahulu, bersenang-senang kemudian in 2029.
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