Karak Expressway

Malaysian_expressway_routebox
E--=MES-E|8
E8
Highway concessionaire's
[http://www.mtdinfraperdana.com.my MTD Prime Sdn Bhd]
length-km=60
direction=West→East
start= Gombak Utara, Selangor
destinations= Gombak
Genting Highlands
Bukit Tinggi
Bentong
Karak
end=Karak, Pahang
starting-date= 1974
completion-date= 1979
interchanges= JKR|28Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 2
JKR|68Genting Sempah-Genting Highlands Highway
JKR|68 Federal route 68
JKR|8 Federal route 8
JKR|2 Federal route 2
MES-E|8East Coast Expressway
Asian Highway Network=none
Development Cost=
Number of lanes=6 lane
Gombak - Genting Sempah
4 lane
Genting Sempah - Karak
Interchanges=6
Toll plazas=2
Layby=3
Rest and Service Area=1
Overhead Bridge Restaurant=none
Vista Point=1
Highway tunnels=1
"(Genting Sempah Tunnel)"
Type of roads=Tarmac
Toll systems=Open toll systems

The Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway or Karak Expressway MES-E|8 "(Lebuhraya Kuala Lumpur-Karak, Lebuhraya Karak)," or also known as Karak Highway is a 60-km (37-mile) partial-access expressway or motorway in Malaysia connecting the capital city of Kuala Lumpur to the town of Karak in Pahang. It incorporates a twin tunnel at Genting Sempah, near one of Malaysia's famous highland resorts, Genting Highlands. Originally, the highway was used to be a two-lane toll road before being upgraded to an expressway in 1997. The speed limit on the expressway is 90 km/h (56 mph).

History

Two-lane Federal Road

Karak Highway was originally built in 1970s by the government of Malaysia as an alternative for the winding, narrow Federal Route JKR|68 which runs from Gombak in Kuala Lumpur to Bentong, Pahang. The highway is also a part of Federal Route JKR|2 (not to be confused with Federal Highway). The highway included a 900-m tunnel at Genting Sempah, which became Malaysia's first highway tunnel ever constructed. It was officially opened on 1979 by Minister of Works and Communications that time Dato Abdul Ghani Gilong.

However, the cost of the construction of this highway was considered as expensive for Malaysia which at that time was an agricultural country. Therefore, the government decided to make Karak Highway as a toll road to help covering all the construction works. As a result, two toll gates were constructed at Gombak and Bentong and the toll road was administered under Malaysian Highway Authority. The highway was officially opened to traffic in 1977.

Multi-lane expressway

The importance of Karak Highway as the main road from Kuala Lumpur to eastern states of Peninsular Malaysia resulted in the government's decision to upgrade the highway to a multi-lane expressway by duplicating the whole highway stretch at another side. Thus, the former 2-lane highway become a dual-carriageway with 6 lanes (3 at each direction) from Kuala Lumpur to Genting Highlands exit and 4 lanes (2 at each direction) for the rest of the expressway.

The upgrading works also included the construction of a second tunnel located beside the existing tunnel to provide additional two lanes for eastbound traffic, widening the toll gates at Gombak and Bentong and also constructing interchanges to replace junctions. However, some junctions were impossible to be upgraded to interchanges due to their geographical locations and therefore some U-turns were constructed to provide entry and exit to the junction for the opposite direction of the expressway. The upgrade works of the expressway was completed in 1997.

[http://www.mtdinfraperdana.com.my MTD Prime] holds the concession of Karak Expressway together with East Coast Expressway. By the completion of Karak Expressway, the expressway acquired its official route number, MES-E|8, which resulted in "overlapping route numbers." As a result, some maps labelled Karak Expressway as MES-E|8 and some other maps labelled the expressway as Federal route JKR|2. No matter which route number is used to refer to Karak Expressway, both route numbers can be used since the expressway itself is a part of Federal route JKR|2.

Safety

Like other highland roads and highways, Karak Expressway faces risks of landslides especially during rainy season. Therefore, motorists are advised not to use any highland routes including Karak Expressway during heavy rain to avoid risks of landslides as well as poorer visibility.

Major events

*22 January 1990 – 17 people including 11 FRU riot police personal were killed in a collision between FRU riot police vehicles, a tanker lorry, a passenger bus and 10 cars at kilometre 32.5 of the highway not far from Genting Sempah Tunnel in Gombak, Selangor.

Toll rates

(Starting 1 January 2007)

Gombak toll plaza (GBK)

See also

* Malaysian expressway system
* East Coast Expressway

References

*Adopted from "Terowong jalan raya paling panjang - Buku Rekod Malaysia Edisi Kedua, Ghulam Jie M Khan"

External links

* [http://www.mtdinfraperdana.com.my MTD Prime] - concession holder of Karak Expressway
* [http://www.llmnet.gov.my Malaysian Highway Authority]
* [http://www.motorways-exitlists.com/asia/mal/e8.htm Exit lists of Karak Expressway]