Federal Highway (Malaysia)


Federal Highway is a Malaysian controlled-access highway connecting the capital city of Kuala Lumpur, and Klang, Selangor. The highway starts from Seputeh in Kuala Lumpur to Klang, Selangor. It is the busiest highway in Klang Valley during rush hour from/to Kuala Lumpur. The Federal Highway is coded as Federal Route 2.

History

The history of the highway started after the separation of Singapore from Malaysia on 9 August 1965, when the Malaysian government decided to make Port Swettenham as Malaysia's new national port as a replacement of Singapore. As a result, the government planned to build a highway connecting Port Klang to Kuala Lumpur by upgrading the former Kuala Lumpur–Klang Highway to a full motorway by replacing the existing at-grade intersections with interchanges, making the Federal Highway as Malaysia's first expressway. The Kuala Lumpur–Petaling Jaya Traffic Dispersal Scheme was implemented in 1974 under the surviliance of the Malaysian Public Works Department. This scheme includes the Kuala Lumpur Inner Ring Road, Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 1, Jalan Syed Putra and Federal Highway Route 2. Funded by a loan granted by the World Bank, the upgrade works for the Federal Highway from Subang Airport Interchange to Kuala Lumpur started from 1974 until 1977. The highway was originally a 4-lane limited access highway except for the Petaling Jaya stretch where it became 6-lane highway. However, in 1992 PLUS Expressways, the concession holder of North–South Expressway has upgraded the entire highway to a 6-lane highway with two toll plazas, Batu Tiga and Sungai Rasau. The 6-lane toll highway had begun in operation on 11 May 1993.
The highway handles incredible volumes of traffic there is significant congestion at more or less any time of day.

Upgrading of the Subang Airport Interchange and the Majlis Link

The upgrading of the Subang Airport Interchange including main link of Subang–Kelana Jaya Link from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport Highway of Federal Highway to Persiaran Kewajipan near Menara Mesiniaga began at the end of 2005 and the construction of the new Majlis Link in September 2005. Both project are led by Malaysian Public Works Department. While the main contractor are the Ahmad Zaki Resources Berhad and Ho Hup Construction Company Berhad. The Majlis Link was completed in March 2007 while the Subang Airport Interchange was completed in September 2009.

Features

A restricted route has been implemented on the Federal Highway between Sungai Rasau and Subang during workdays and peak hours. Heavy vehicles with laden and unladen heavy vehicles weighing 10,000 kg or more are not allowed to enter the expressway between 6:30 am until 9:30 am on Monday to Friday. A compound fine will be issued to heavy vehicles which flout the rule.

Criticisms

Motorcycle lane hazards

The Federal Highway is well known as the first expressway in Malaysia to have motorcycle lanes. However, the motorcycle lanes in the Federal Highway are known for its dangers towards motorcyclists, such as dark, narrow and poorly maintained lanes and ramps, dangerous sharp corners, and the nature of the motorcycle lanes themselves to be vulnerable spots for robberies. It is due to the fact that the motorcycle lanes are originally intended for bicycle riders, with the design speed limit as low as 60 km/h.
On 29 August 2016, the Ministry of Works has allocated RM 3.13 million to upgrade motorcycle lanes on the Federal Highway in areas that fall under its care. The allocation would cover costs for brightening dark areas, installing pump houses at flood-prone areas, painting road lines and tunnel walls, lane-widening, building overhead ramps, additional signage and repair of intersections.
On 21 October 2016, during the announcement of the 2017 Budget, Prime Minister, Najib Tun Razak announced that RM29 million will be allocated to upgrading the motorcycle lane on the Federal Highway. This includes enhancing the drainage system, as well as building two overhead ramps, as part of efforts to make it safer for motorcyclists who use the route.

Traffic congestion area along the highway

There are several areas along the highway regarded as a congested area:-
KmBoundsStretchesReasons
11 - 15Kuala Lumpur boundFrom Bulatan Selangor Interchange to Batu Tiga InterchangeExiting towards Jalan Subang–Batu Tiga.
19 - 27.3Kuala Lumpur boundFrom Subang Airport Highway Interchange to NPE InterchangeEntering the highway from Damansara–Puchong Expressway.
33.1 - 21.1Klang boundFrom Jalan Timur Interchange to Sunway InterchangeExiting towards Damansara–Puchong Expressway.

Notable events

The tolls have been collected by a private concession company, PLUS Expressways, since 11 May 1993. Toll collection was discontinued on 1 January 2018.

Electronic toll collection

As part of an initiative to facilitate smoother passage at the Batu Tiga and Sungai Rasau Toll Plazas on Federal Highway. On 10 July 2014, the highway operator, PLUS Expressways, announced that all toll transactions at both toll plazas would be conducted electronically via PLUSMiles cards, Touch 'n Go cards or SmartTAGs starting 1 September 2014. Besides being more convenient to Federal Highway users and reducing jams at toll plazas caused by cash-paying motorists, this move may help reducing risks of robberies at toll plazas faced by toll attendants, as there will be less cash will be available. However, on 30 August 2014, the implementation of the ETCs at Batu Tiga and Sungai Rasau toll plaza was postponed by the federal government.
Since 22 November 2014, all toll transactions at Batu Tiga and Sungai Rasau toll plazas of the Federal Highway have been conducted electronically via PLUSMiles cards, Touch 'n Go cards or SmartTAGs.

Toll rates

Sungai Rasau toll plaza
Batu Tiga toll plaza

List of interchanges

Below is a list of interchanges, laybys and rest and service areas along the Federal Highway route. The exits are arranged in ascending numerical order from West to East.