KUALA LUMPUR: Traffic flow on major highways is expected to increase significantly, reaching 2.6 million vehicles per day heading towards the east coast, north, and south for the Chinese New Year celebration from the Klang Valley.
Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) director-general, Datuk Sazali Harun said that approximately 2.2 million vehicles are expected to use the North-South Highway, 198,000 the KL-Karak Highway, 82,000 the East Coast Expressway Phase 1, 48,000 the East Coast Expressway Phase 2, and 120,000 the West Coast Expressway (WCE).
“Vehicle movement out of the (federal) capital for the long holiday is expected to increase from Jan 24 to 28, while traffic flow back to the capital is anticipated to rise from Feb 1 to 2,“ he said in a statement.
To alleviate congestion, LLM has instructed highway concessionaires not to carry out any lane closures except for emergency cases and works from tomorrow until Feb 3. Additionally, smart lanes will be activated at 25 congestion hotspots on the North-South Highway, traffic management at toll plazas and intersections will be improved, tidal lanes will be activated, and portable toll payment counters will be added.
“PLUS has also prepared about 50 temporary toilets in cabins, which are more comfortable than conventional portable toilets, along the North-South Highway to accommodate the needs of users during this festive season,“ Sazali said.
He advised highway users to plan their trips by referring to the MyPLUS-TTA app for journeys on the North-South Highway and the Travel Time Advisory (TTA) provided by AFA Prime for the KL-Karak Highway and East Coast Expressway Phase 1.
Highway users can contact LLM’s Traffic Management Centre (TMC) at 1-800-88-7752 for assistance or visit the LLM website at https://www.llm.gov.my and the LLM Info Traffic WhatsApp Channel for traffic condition updates.
