PETALING JAYA: PLUS Malaysia Bhd, which manages several highways including the North-South Expressway, is projecting 2.3 million vehicles on its network daily this Hari Raya Aidilfitri, some 21% higher than on normal days.
Traffic is expected to peak on March 18, 19, 20, 27, 28 and 29.
PLUS managing director Datuk Nik Airina Nik Jaffar (pic) said the projection follows trends recorded during the Chinese New Year festival last month, when daily traffic volumes exceeded two million vehicles.
She said three key measures have been prepared to manage the increase – efficient traffic and incident management, optimising traffic distribution, and enhancing user comfort to ensure safer and more pleasant travel.
Nik Airina said smart lanes would be opened at strategic locations to ease congestion.
“The smart lanes can be identified through notification signboards and green flashing lights, with a maximum speed limit of 60kph,” she told a press conference yesterday.
She said an additional third lane, spanning 3km southbound between Simpang Renggam and Sedenak (KM45.1 to KM42.5), will also be opened from March 18 to April 5.
She added that no lane closures would take place during the period unless unavoidable, such as for critical repairs, emergencies or accidents.
Over 6,000 personnel, including PLUSRonda teams, Traffic Monitoring Centre operators and People’s Volunteer Corps members, will be deployed at strategic locations to assist with traffic control.
“Traffic monitoring will be strengthened through the Traffic Monitoring Centre, supported by 24-hour highway patrols.
“Emergency Response Team personnel will be stationed at nine strategic locations for rapid responses,” Nik Airina said.
To manage unforeseen circumstances, PLUS has enhanced facilities at over 60 R&R and lay-by locations while replacing more than 37,000 conventional streetlights with energy-efficient LEDs.
Over 100 emergency bays have also been established along the highways to ensure motorists’ safety and smoother traffic flow.
