Federal Highway (Malaysia)

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 (route 15) of Federal Highway (route 2) 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 (JKR). While the main contractor are the Ahmad Zaki Resources Berhad (AZRB) and Ho Hup Construction Company Berhad (HHCC). The Majlis Link was completed in March 2007 while the Subang Airport Interchange was completed in September 2009.^[3]

Lane numbers

Landmarks

• The main landmarks of Federal Highway is Kota Darul Ehsan, the biggest arch in Malaysia located in Petaling Jaya. It was built on the orders of the former Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah to commemorate the cession of Kuala Lumpur to the federal government on 1 February 1974.^{[citation needed]}
• The Tugu Keris monument was originally located near the Sungai Rasau toll plaza in Klang. However, it was relocated to the Klang Royal Gardens as the construction of a flyover obstructed its view.^[4]

Other features

• Federal Highway also has a motorcycle lane to avoid accidents between cars and motorcycles in that area.
• Bulatan Selangor (also known as Shah Alam Cloverleaf Interchange) in Shah Alam, Selangor is the biggest cloverleaf interchange in Malaysia.
• Breweries along this highway including Guinness Anchor Berhad (GAB) brewery in Sungai Way and Carlsberg brewery in Shah Alam.^[5][6]

Restricted routes for heavy vehicles

A restricted route has been implemented on the Federal Highway between Sungai Rasau and Subang during workdays and peak hours. Heavy vehicles (except buses and tankers) 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 during Mondays to Fridays (except public holidays). A compound fine will be issued to heavy vehicles which flout the rule.^[7]

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 posing danger to motorcyclists, due to dark, narrow and poorly maintained lanes and ramps, dangerous sharp corners, vulnerable spots for robberies.^[8] This has been attributed to the fact that the motorcycle lanes were originally intended for bicycle riders,^[2] with the design speed limit as low as 60 km/h.^[9]

On 29 August 2016, the Ministry of Works (MOW) 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.^[10]

On 21 October 2016, during the announcement of the 2017 Budget, former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak announced that RM29 million would be allocated to upgrading the motorcycle lane on the Federal Highway. This included enhancing the drainage system to prevent flooding and building two overhead ramps, to make it safer for motorcyclists who use the route.^[11]

Traffic congestion locations

Since the highway connects multiple major locations, significantly higher traffic may be observed at certain stretches of the highway:

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 might had helped reducing risks of robberies at toll plazas faced by toll attendants, as there would have been less cash available.^[20] However, on 30 August 2014, the implementation of the ETCs at Batu Tiga and Sungai Rasau toll plaza was postponed by the federal government.^[21]

Since 22 November 2014, all toll transactions at Batu Tiga and Sungai Rasau toll plazas of the Federal Highway had been conducted electronically via PLUSMiles cards, Touch 'n Go cards or SmartTAGs.^[22]

Toll collection was discontinued since 1 January 2018.