Sabah State Route SA3

Length83 km (52 mi)

EastendTenom

Major intersections FT 500 Federal Route 500
FT 22 (Interior North-South Highway) / FT 500 / FT 501
SA33 Jalan Kemabong-Tenom
FT 1 Federal Route 1

WestendSipitang

Sabah Route 3
Jalan Tenom–Sipitang
Route information
Length	83 km (52 mi)
Major junctions
East end	Tenom
Major intersections	FT 500 Federal Route 500 FT 22 (Interior North-South Highway) / FT 500 / FT 501 SA33 Jalan Kemabong-Tenom FT 1 Federal Route 1
West end	Sipitang
Location
Country	Malaysia
Primary destinations	Tenom, Sipitang, Beaufort, Lawas
Highway system
Highways in Malaysia Expressways Federal State

State Route SA3 (now known as Jalan Sipitang-Tenom or Sipitang-Tenom Highway) is a state route located in Sabah that connects the Tenom area to the Sipitang area. It serves as the main highway to connect most villages in the Interior Division of Sabah to Sipitang, and Sarawak. It also serves as the continuation link of the Federal Route 500.

Previously, the Tenom-Sipitang Highway was avoided by drivers who took this route because the road was severely damaged.^[1] Therefore, drivers going to Sipitang would use the Kimanis–Keningau Highway, which takes three hours and fifty-three minutes to reach Sipitang. After that, the road was upgraded to a two-lane sealed road in 2007. Along the way, drivers will pass through a short tunnel. If one wants to go to Sipitang, they can take an express bus or a taxi. The route is served by regular express bus and taxi services connecting Tenom and Sipitang. Historically, this and the Federal Route 500 are part of the long State Route SA3 before some road in the same state route was renumbered. After the renumbering of the route, the Sipitang-Tenom road was the only highway to ever remained as the State Route SA3.

While the entire route is 83km, a 53km stretch that appears to be the main vital link between the Tenom and Sipitang district is what the main State Route SA3 (also called Jalan Sipitang-Tenom on signpost) part of. This road traverses the Crocker Range with steep gradient. It was also said that the gradient ranges from 10% to 15%, with some stretches ranging from 12% to 14%. The road stretch from the Mengalong junction to a village which is 36km right before the Crocker Range climb also feature gradient, but mostly the road is moderate. This section is also where almost every part of the road is a broken or gravel roads.^[1][2]