KL-Karak highway expansion expected to finish in 2029

The Malaysian government's works minister, Alexander Nanta Linggi, announced that the RM2.1 billion expansion of the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway will be completed a year earlier than initially planned, in 2029. The project, which began on March 9, aims to ease congestion and enhance safety and comfort for motorists traveling between the Klang Valley and the east coast.

The expansion will widen the Gombak-Genting Sempah stretch from three lanes to four, while the Genting Sempah-Mempaga section will be increased from two lanes to three. According to Berita Harian, Nanta initially expected the project to be completed in 2030 as per the contract with the concessionaire AFA Group. However, they received assurance from AFA that the project would be finished in 2029, which is an encouraging development.

A key feature of the project is the construction of a 999-meter tunnel at Genting Sempah using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method. This new tunnel will operate alongside the existing westbound and eastbound tunnels, with the westbound tunnel opening in 1978 and the eastbound tunnel opening in 1996. The new tunnel will help accommodate the growing traffic on the highway, which currently averages over 135,000 vehicles daily, compared to about 41,000 in 1997.