PETALING JAYA: Around 2.9 million vehicles are expected to use major highways nationwide this weekend as the Chinese New Year holidays wind down and holidaymakers return to the Klang Valley, according to the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM).
The heaviest return traffic is expected between Feb 20 and 22, with Feb 21 projected to record the highest vehicle volume, said LLM.
Of the 2.9 million vehicles expected, highways operated by PLUS Malaysia Berhad (PLUS) are forecast to carry the largest share of traffic during today’s and tomorrow’s peak period.
PLUS said it expects return traffic to peak on Feb 21 and 22 at up to 2.2 million vehicles on a day, with the volume rising from midday until late evening.
West Coast Expressway (WCE) head of highway operations Syed Muhd Naguib Syed Mohd said WCE traffic is projected to exceed 160,000 vehicles per day over the weekend, with heavier volume expected from mid-afternoon to late evening.
LLM said outbound traffic was spread over several days before the festive break, including the 50% toll discount period on Feb 14 and 15.
However, return traffic to the Klang Valley is expected to be heavier over the weekend due to the overlap of the Chinese New Year holidays, Ramadan and the reopening of schools.
PLUS said return traffic is usually concentrated within a shorter time frame and may intensify as motorists aim to arrive before breaking fast, contributing to heavier traffic in the late afternoon and early evening.
In terms of congestion hotspots, LLM said heavy traffic is expected along the North-South Expressway, the main backbone linking the northern states and Johor to the Klang Valley.
The Kuala Lumpur-Karak Highway and the East Coast Expressway (LPT 1 and LPT 2) are also likely to experience bottlenecks, particularly between Bentong and Gombak.
PLUS said traffic heading towards the Klang Valley from the northern stretches – including Sungai Dua-Juru, Kuala Kangsar-Ipoh and Tapah-Sungkai – is expected to be heavier from noon to 2pm on Feb 21 and 22.
Similarly, traffic from the southern sections – including Sedenak-Ayer Hitam and Simpang Ampat-Pedas Linggi – is projected to increase during the same period.
On the WCE, congestion is expected to intensify from mid- afternoon until late evening along its main stretches towards the Klang Valley.
Motorists are urged to plan their journeys carefully and follow the respective Travel Time Advisory schedules.
LLM advised highway users to use smart lanes activated at critical locations and check live traffic updates via its TUJU navigation app.
Motorists should ensure their vehicles are roadworthy and that toll balances are sufficient.
PLUS recommended that motorists refer to its MyPLUS Travel Time Advisory (TTA) via the PLUS app, and advised those travelling from the northern region to depart between 6am and 8am or after 6pm.
For those travelling from the south, PLUS advised motorists to depart between 7am and 9am or after 6pm to avoid peak hours.
Motorists are also reminded to get adequate rest, avoid rushing before breaking fast and comply with speed limits.
