KUALA LUMPUR: The activation of a Smart Lane route on the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway (KLK) cannot be implemented due to several factors, including the winding and hilly nature of the expressway.
According to Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi, before a Smart Lane can be activated on any part of an expressway, the width of the road shoulder and the geometric factors of the highway alignment must be taken into account.
“For this reason, the Smart Lane cannot be implemented on the KLK Expressway, as the width of the road shoulder in the emergency lane is insufficient for vehicles other than the winding and hilly route along the expressway,” he said during a question and answer session in Dewan Negara yesterday.
He was responding to a supplementary question from Senator Manolan Mohamad, who wanted to know if the government plans to implement a Smart Lane on the KLK Expressway to reduce congestion – especially on weekends, Bernama reported.
A Smart Lane refers to the controlled use of the road shoulder or emergency lane as an additional lane to increase the capacity of the highway by dispersing traffic flow during congestion or accidents.
However, Nanta said the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) and concessionaire Anih Bhd had planned several short-, medium- and long-term solutions to overcome the problem of congestion at the KLK.
Among them is the implementation of lane channelisation at several locations along the highway, specifically at Kilometre 64.3 near the Lingkaran Tengah Utama (LTU) intersection, at the U-turn at Maktab Rendah Sains Mara (MRSM) Bentong, as well as the slip road to Genting Highlands.
This is to reduce traffic conflict and ensure smooth movement, he said.
Meanwhile, in response to Manolan’s original question about whether the government plans to introduce a minimum speed limit to control congestion on expressways, Nanta said the speed limit of 110km/h on inter-urban highways and 80km/h to 90km/h for highways in the city is adequate and suitable with the driving conditions in the country.
“The government is always working to ensure the quality of the highway infrastructure is in the best condition for the benefit of all,” he said.
