SHAH ALAM: A road safety study has found that 88% of motorists using Persiaran Mokhtar Dahari (B49) exceed the 60kph speed limit, which shows widespread non-compliance.
Selangor Infrastructure and Agriculture Committee chairman Datuk Izham Hashim said the study, finalised by the Public Works Department (JKR) on Oct 22, found that speeding was particularly prevalent during off-peak hours.
"The findings show that most motorists fail to observe the speed limit, with cars accounting for 73% of offenders, followed by motorcycles (15%) and lorries (12%). This is among the main factors contributing to accidents.
"Speeding is particularly common during off-peak hours, while heavy congestion during peak periods prevents vehicles from travelling at high speeds," he told a press conference on B49 safety and improvement measures at the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Building here on Thursday (Oct 29).
Izham had earlier chaired a technical meeting on the route, attended by Selangor JKR director Shukri Ishak.
He said the study also found that B49 carried an average of 80,300 vehicles daily on weekdays and 64,000 on weekends, pushing the road's Level of Service (LOS) to F, the lowest classification, with average delays of 7.6 minutes and queues stretching 1.5km.
To address congestion in the medium term, Izham said the state government had approved RM3mil to add a 300m lane from Puncak Alam towards Shah Alam at the Alam Budiman junction.
The project, which includes upgrading traffic lights, street lighting and drainage, is scheduled to begin in mid-2027 after topographical surveys and utility assessments are completed.
"The state government takes residents' concerns over road safety and traffic flow at the junction seriously. However, structural solutions such as a multi-level flyover require detailed assessment because costs could exceed RM1bil," he said.
For the longer term, JKR has proposed widening a 5km stretch of B49 to four lanes under the Second Selangor Plan (RS-2), at an estimated cost of RM128mil.
Izham said the proposed upgrade could improve the road's LOS from F to C or D, depending on future development and traffic growth in surrounding areas.
He noted that Selangor JKR had imposed conditions requiring nearby developers to provide additional through lanes towards Shah Alam at the Persiaran Pulau Lumut-B49 junction in Alam Budiman and at the Greenhill Residence junction in Puncak Alam.
He said developers must ensure that road capacity keeps pace with new developments to avoid placing further pressure on residents and public infrastructure.
Izham also urged motorists to drive responsibly and observe road safety signs to reduce the risk of accidents.
He said the state government had spent RM4.2mil since 2023 on safety improvements, including temporary additional lanes, solar-powered street lighting and tree pruning.
The road safety study also recorded nine accidents along the route between March and October this year, including one fatality. – Bernama
