Surge in highway traffic expected

PETALING JAYA: The daily traffic volume on PLUS highways has risen above pre-pandemic levels, and it is estimated that up to two million vehicles are expected to hit the road during the year-end festive holidays.

PLUS Malaysia Bhd chief operating officer Datuk Zakaria Ahmad Zabidi said daily traffic volume has reached 1.8 million vehicles, compared with 1.6 million daily in 2019.

He said the number was expected to increase to two million vehicles starting tomorrow and up to Jan 2.

Zakaria said “stop work” and “no lane closure” orders had been issued from tomorrow to Dec 26, and from Dec 30 to New Year’s Day to ease congestion.

“However, temporary lane closures need to be conducted to make way for immediate accident clearance and cleaning work, and emergencies or critical maintenance for safety purposes,” he said in a statement yesterday.

PLUS has also shared a travel times advisory (TTA) to help highway users plan their journeys from Dec 23 to Jan 2.

Motorists from the Klang Valley heading north to Perlis, Kedah, Penang and Perak, and south to Johor are advised to enter the highway before 10am, while those heading to nearer destinations or the other states are advised to enter between noon and 4pm.

Those going to the Klang Valley from Perlis, Kedah, Penang, Perak, Johor and other states are advised to enter the highway before 10am.

“The TTA focuses on traffic distribution and is aimed at reducing traffic congestion on the highway, most notably at major stretches, toll plazas and rest areas during the festive period,” Zakaria said.

He added that the TTA could be viewed at the PLUS website www.plus.com.my or any of its social media accounts.

He urged motorists to check PLUS’ Twitter for updates or use the PLUS App, which allows them to identify areas with congestion.

“We also have our PLUS app with access to closed-circuit cameras along key stretches of the highway. Motorists can also communicate with Putri (PLUS Unique Texting Realtime Interface) – the first highway Artificial Intelligence Chatbot – that can help them plan their journey accordingly,” he said, adding that other apps such as Waze and Google Maps were also good guides.

Zakaria also advised road users to ensure they are physically and mentally ready for travelling, especially with the challenging weather.

He also reminded them to ensure that their Touch ‘n Go cards or ewallets had sufficient balance to avoid inconveniences.