Kuala Lumpur–Karak Expressway

Expressway 8
Kuala Lumpur–Karak Expressway
(Karak Expressway)

Kuala Lumpur–Karak Expressway (Peninsular Malaysia)

Route information
Part of
Maintained by ANIH Berhad
(formerly known as MTD Prime Sdn Bhd)
Length: 60.0 km (37.3 mi)
Existed: 1974 – present
History: Completed in 1979
Major junctions
West end: Gombak North, Selangor
  28 Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 2
Genting Sempah-Genting Highlands Highway
68 Federal Route 68
Jalan Berjaya Hills
121 Jalan Sambung Kuala Lumpur/Karak-Bentong
8 Federal Route 8
2 Jalan Kuantan-Kuala Lumpur
E8 East Coast Expressway
East end: Karak, Pahang
Location
Primary
destinations:		 Gombak, Genting Highlands, Bukit Tinggi, Bentong, Karak
Highway system

The Kuala Lumpur–Karak Expressway or Karak Expressway, KLK[1] (Lebuhraya Kuala Lumpur-Karak, Lebuhraya Karak), or also known as Karak Highway is a 60-kilometre (37 mi) controlled-access highway or motorway in Malaysia connecting the capital city of Kuala Lumpur to the town of Karak in Pahang. It incorporates a twin tunnel at Genting Sempah, near one of Malaysia's famous highland resorts, Genting Highlands. Originally, the highway was used to be a two-lane toll highway before being upgraded to a full expressway in 1997. The expressway is part of the Asian Highway Network of route AH141 and the speed limit on the expressway is 90 km/h (56 mph).

Route description

Even though the expressways officially begins at Gombak North Interchange in Gombak, Selangor and its interchange with the Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 2 (Federal Route 28), the Kilometre Zero is actually counted from the Kuala Lumpur city centre via Federal Route 2 (Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 1, Jalan Pahang (Genting Klang-Pahang Highway), Jalan Gombak (Federal Route 68), Jalan Kampung Bandar Dalam and Duta-Ulu Klang Expressway E33); the actual starting point of the expressway is counted as Kilometre 19. Next, the expressway passes the Titiwangsa Range and the Genting Sempah Tunnel towards the Genting Sempah at Pahang border.

The section between Bentong and Karak is the sole route from Kuala Lumpur to Kuantan and vice versa, as Jalan Gombak (Federal Route 68) which serves as the toll-free alternative for the expressway ends at Ketari, Bentong. At Karak Interchange, the expressway diverts the section to Karak to continue as Federal Route 2 while the expressway itself continues as the East Coast Expressway.

History

Two-lane federal highway

Kuala Lumpur-Karak Highway was originally built in the 1970s by the government of Malaysia as an alternative for the winding, narrow Federal Route 68 which runs from Gombak in Kuala Lumpur to Bentong, Pahang. The highway is also a part of Federal Route 2 (not to be confused with Federal Highway). The highway included a 900-m tunnel at Genting Sempah, which became Malaysia's first highway tunnel ever constructed. It was officially opened on 1979 by Minister of Works and Communications that time Dato Abdul Ghani Gilong.

However, the cost of the construction of this highway was considered as expensive for Malaysia which at that time was an agricultural country. Therefore, the government decided to make Kuala Lumpur-Karak Highway as a toll road to help covering all the construction works. As a result, two toll gates were constructed at Gombak and Bentong and the toll road was administered under Malaysian Highway Authority. The highway was officially opened to traffic in 1977.

Signage indicating approaching exit to Bukit Tinggi, Pahang.

Multi-lane expressway

The importance of Kuala Lumpur-Karak Highway as the main road from Kuala Lumpur to eastern states of Peninsular Malaysia resulted in the government's decision to upgrade the highway to a multi-lane expressway by duplicating the whole highway stretch at another side. Thus, the former 2-lane highway become a dual-carriageway with 6 lanes (3 at each direction) from Kuala Lumpur to Genting Highlands exit and 4 lanes (2 at each direction) for the rest of the expressway.

The upgrading works also included the construction of a second tunnel located beside the existing tunnel to provide additional two lanes for eastbound traffic, widening the toll gates at Gombak and Bentong and also constructing interchanges to replace junctions. However, some junctions were impossible to be upgraded to interchanges due to their geographical locations and therefore some U-turns were constructed to provide entry and exit to the junction for the opposite direction of the expressway. The expressway has two separate carriageway at Genting Sempah in Selangor-Pahang border (one for Selangor side and one for Pahang side) due to their geographical locations. It is probably the only one of its type in Malaysia. The upgrade works of the expressway was completed in 1997.

MTD Prime holds the concession of Kuala Lumpur–Karak Expressway together with East Coast Expressway. By the completion of Kuala Lumpur–Karak Expressway, the expressway acquired its official route number, E8, which resulted in overlapping route numbers. As a result, some maps labelled Kuala Lumpur–Karak Expressway as E8 and some other maps labelled the expressway as Federal route 2. No matter which route number is used to refer to Kuala Lumpur–Karak Expressway, both route numbers can be used since the expressway itself is a part of Federal route 2.

On 7 April 2011, MTD Prime changed its name into ANIH Berhad after officially taken over the operations of Toll Concession from MTD Prime Sdn Bhd and Metramac Corporation Sdn Bhd who respectively owned the concessions for Kuala Lumpur–Karak Expressway, East Coast Expressway Phase 1, and Kuala Lumpur-Seremban Expressway (including East–West Link Expressway) with effect from 6 December 2011.

Major events

Safety

Like other highland roads and highways, Kuala Lumpur–Karak Expressway faces risks of landslides especially during rainy season. Therefore, motorists are advised not to use any highland routes including Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway during heavy rain to avoid risks of landslides.

The expressway is lit up entirely with LED Street Light from the Genting Sempah Tunnel until the Gombak Toll Plaza. However, some lights are not functioning while some are already damaged.

Tolls

The Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway using opened toll system.

Gombak and Bentong toll plazas is now fully Electronic Toll Collections (ETC)

As part of an initiative to facilitate faster transaction at the Gombak and Bentong Toll Plazas, all toll transactions at both toll plazas on the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway has now conducted electronically via Touch 'n Go cards or SmartTAGs starting 9 September 2015.

Toll rates

(Starting 15 October 2015)

Gombak toll plaza (GBK)

ClassType of vehiclesRate (in Malaysian Ringgit (RM))
0Motorcycles, bicycles or vehicles with 2 or less wheelsFree
1Vehicles with 2 axles and 3 or 4 wheels excluding taxisRM6.00
2Vehicles with 2 axles and 5 or 6 wheels excluding busesRM12.00
3Vehicles with 3 or more axlesRM18.00
4TaxisRM3.00
5BusesRM5.00

Bentong toll plaza (BTG)

ClassType of vehiclesRate (in Malaysian Ringgit (RM))
0Motorcycles, bicycles or vehicles with 2 or less wheelsFree
1Vehicles with 2 axles and 3 or 4 wheels excluding taxisRM3.50
2Vehicles with 2 axles and 5 or 6 wheels excluding busesRM7.00
3Vehicles with 3 or more axlesRM10.50
4TaxisRM1.80
5BusesRM3.00
Note: Toll charges can only be paid with the Touch 'n Go cards or SmartTAG. Cash payment is not accepted.

List of Interchanges, Laybys and Rest and Service Areas

Below is a list of interchanges (exits), laybys and rest and service areas along the Kuala Lumpur–Karak Expressway. The exits are arranged in ascending numerical order from West to East.

The maximum speed limit for the entire expressway is 90 km/h (except at Genting Sempah viaducts, Gombak Toll Plaza and Bentong Toll Plaza, where the speed limit at those locations is 60 km/h).

Legend:

State District km Exit Name Destinations Notes
Selangor Gombak 18.0 801 Gombak North I/C 28 Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 2 – Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, Kepong, Ulu Klang, Ampang, Cheras, Seremban, Johor Bahru, Shah Alam, Klang
19.9 T/P Gombak Toll Plaza TnG TnG TAG TAG TnG TnG Accepts Touch 'n Go and SmartTAG only
20.0 L/B Gombak L/B Gombak L/B - Eastbound
802 UIA I/C E-- Eastern Klang Valley Expressway – Kajang, Hulu Langat, Ampang, Ulu Klang Planned
L/B BH Petrol L/B BH Petrol L/B - BH Petrol Eastbound
L/B Gombak L/B Gombak L/B - Westbound
JPJ Enforcement Station Eastbound
BR Sungai Gombak bridge
Kampung Hulu Gombak
Kampung Hulu Gombak Orang Asli settlement Kampung Hulu Gombak Orang Asli settlement From / To westbound direction
L/B Lemang stalls L/B Lemang stalls L/B - Eastbound
BR Genting Sempah viaduct Separated carriageway
BR Genting Sempah viaduct
BR Genting Sempah viaduct
803A Genting Sempah I/C Genting Sempah-Genting Highlands Highway – Genting Highlands, Gohtong Jaya, Institut Aminuddin Baki From / To Kuala Lumpur direction
Pahang Bentong TN Genting Sempah tunnel Length: 900 m
Maximum clearance: 4.75 m
570 m above sea level
Both bounds
803 Genting Sempah I/C 68 Jalan Gombak-Bentong – Genting Sempah, Genting Highlands, Gohtong Jaya, Institut Aminuddin Baki , Janda Baik Westbound direction plus an entry ramp to eastbound direction
561 m above sea level
RSA Genting Sempah RSA Genting Sempah RSA - Petronas McDonalds V Westbound, accessible from both directions
803 Genting Sempah I/C 68 Jalan Gombak-Bentong – Genting Sempah, Genting Highlands, Gohtong Jaya, Janda Baik Exit ramp for eastbound direction
559 m above sea level
BR Sungai Tanglir bridge Separated carriageway
V/P Genting Sempah V/P and truck L/B Genting Sempah V/P and truck L/B - V Westbound
Separated carriageway
BR Sungai Tanglir bridge Separated carriageway
43.0 Kampung Bukit Tinggi 68 Jalan Gombak-Bentong – Kampung Bukit Tinggi
BR Sungai Tanglir bridge
48.0 805 Bukit Tinggi I/C Jalan Berjaya Hills Resort - Berjaya Hills Resort (Bukit Tinggi Resort), Colmar Tropicale, Japanese Tea Garden, Berjaya Hills Golf Resort,
:: Institut Latihan Kesejahteraan Bandar, Perumahaan dan Kerajaan Tempatan (ILKBPKT) (Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Training Centre)
BR Sungai Benus bridge
L/B Lentang L/B
Grade-separated U-turns		 Lentang L/B - Lentang Recreational Forest
U-Turn - Kuala Lumpur / Kuantan		 Both bounds
Kampung Lentang
BR Sungai Gisai bridge
BR Sungai Benus bridge
Dusun Eco Resort Dusun Eco Resort Eastbound
L/B Petronas L/B Petronas L/B - Petronas KFC, Dunkin Donuts, Kopitiam Eastbound
BR Sungai Perting Pandak bridge
BR Sungai Benus bridge
T/P Bentong Toll Plaza TnG TnG TAG TAG TnG TnG Accepts Touch 'n Go and SmartTAG only
L/B Bentong L/B Bentong L/B - Westbound
808 Bentong West I/C 121 Jalan Sambung Kuala Lumpur/Karak-Bentong – Bentong, Ketari, Raub, Kuala Lipis Eastbound direction
Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM) Bentong Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM) Bentong Westbound
Grade-separated U-turns Kuala Lumpur / Kuantan Both bounds
810 Bentong East I/C 8 Federal Route 8 – Bentong, Raub, Kuala Lipis, Bukit Fraser, Cameron Highlands Eastbound direction
Taman Benus Jaya
BR Sungai Bentong bridge
BR Sungai Bentong bridge
Kampung Sungai Dua Kampung Sungai Dua
813 Karak I/C 2 Jalan Kuantan-Kuala Lumpur – Karak, Manchis, Kuala Pilah
Jalan FELDA Mempaga – FELDA Mempaga
BR Sungai Bentong bridge
Through to E8 East Coast Expressway

See also

References

  1. ↑ ERIA Study Team. "Current Status of ASEAN Transport Sector" (PDF). ASEAN Strategic Transport Plan 2011-2015 (Jakarta: ASEAN Secretariat and ERIA): 3–1 – 3–95. Retrieved 16 November 2013.

External links

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