A PROPOSED new road connecting Jalan Desa Kiara 7 to the SPRINT Highway (Penchala Link) is set to alleviate traffic congestion in the Sri Hartamas and Mont Kiara area.
The project is one of the three infrastructure development projects funded by development charges collected by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to ease congestion in the city.
The other two projects involve upgrading the exit ramp from the New Pantai Expressway (NPE) to the KL-Seremban Highway and upgrading the intersection of Jalan 7/24 and the Middle Ring Road 2.
Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Fadlun Mak Ujud said the level of service (LoS) for these three areas has reached its maximum capacity and requires immediate improvement.
"This is largely due to high development pressure in these specific areas.
"For example, in Mont Kiara, we are aware that Jalan Desa Kiara 7 is already experiencing excessive vehicle overflow.
"Therefore, the only option is to disperse traffic into new road networks," he said on Monday (April 27).
LoS measures the quality of motor vehicle traffic service while development charges are imposed when a development deviates from the established local plan.
Fadlun added that the construction of the new road linking Jalan Desa Kiara 7 to Penchala Link has two phases.
"For the first phase, we have opened the tender for the construction of the 562m road that will disperse traffic from the residential neighbourhood to the highway.
"The second phase will be the construction of the road from Jalan Kuching heading to Mont Kiara to bypass the highway and access Jalan Desa Kiara 7," he said.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh said that the total allocation for the three projects is about RM90mil.
"I have asked the mayor to identify high-impact projects like these that provide significant benefits to commuters and city dwellers.
"When people spend less time stuck in traffic, their pressure and work stress are reduced, and they save valuable time," she said, adding that these funds must be spent for the benefit of the citizens.
According to a DBKL statement, construction of the new road at Jalan Desa Kiara 7, expected to take two years, is expected to start in the fourth quarter this year.
Meanwhile, the slip road upgrade at NPE is also expected to start in the fourth quarter and is likely to take one year.
The intersection upgrade at MRR2 is expected to start in June and will take four months.
Segambut Federal Territories Residents' Representative Council (MPPWP) Zone 4 chairman Tan Wai Ping said that the new road at Jalan Desa Kiara 7 will bypass the congestion between Sri Hartamas and the city centre.
"During peak hours, traffic in the Sri Hartamas and Mont Kiara areas reduces to a gridlock.
"With a new road dispersal in the plan, it would definitely help nearby residents bypass the congestion.
"The people had requested this before 2018 and we are glad that it is coming to fruition," she said.
