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Sprint Expressway
Sprint Expressway
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Expressway 23 shield
Expressway 23
SPRINT Expressway
(System of Traffic Dispersal in Western Kuala Lumpur)
Lebuhraya Sprint, Kuala Lumpur 20240501 162047.jpg
Route information
Maintained by Sistem Penyuraian Trafik KL Barat Sdn Bhd (Sprint)
Length26.5 km (16.5 mi)
Kerinchi Link: 11.5 km (7.1 mi)
Damansara Link: 9.5 km (5.9 mi)
Penchala Link: 5.5 km (3.4 mi)
Existed1999–present
HistoryCompleted in 2004
Component
highways
Kerinchi Link
(Kg. Kerinchi–Mont Kiara)
Penchala Link
(Jalan Duta–Sungai Penchala)
Damansara Link
(Semantan–Damansara Interchange)
Major junctions
Major intersections New Klang Valley Expressway AH2 AH141
Damansara–Shah Alam Elevated Expressway
Damansara–Puchong Expressway
FT 2 Federal Highway
Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim (Jalan Duta)
Location
CountryMalaysia
Primary
destinations
Damansara Utama, Damansara City, Petaling Jaya, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Mont Kiara, Pusat Sains Negara, Sri Hartamas, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, Kerinchi, Jalan Duta
Highway system

E23 SPRINT Expressway (Malay: Sistem Penyuraian Trafik Kuala Lumpur Barat, English: System of Traffic Dispersal in Western Kuala Lumpur, Chinese: 吉隆坡西部疏散大道) is the main expressway network in Klang Valley, Malaysia. The 26.5 km (16.5 mi) expressway is divided into three sections: the Kerinchi Link, Damansara Link and Penchala Link. It is a three-lane dual carriageway that was built to disperse traffic from congested inner city roads and narrow residential streets leading into Kuala Lumpur from the western suburbs, including Petaling Jaya, Damansara, and surrounding areas. It is one of the busiest expressway during rush hour to and from the city centre.

Route background

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The 11.5 km (7.1 mi) sections from Seputeh Interchange at Federal Highway to NKVE at Jalan Duta. The Kilometre Zero of the Kerinchi Link's section is located at Mont Kiara-NKVE Interchange.

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The 9.5 km (5.9 mi) sections from Kayu Ara to Jalan Duta-Semantan Interchange. The Kilometre Zero of the Damansara Link's section is located at Kampung Kayu Ara in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

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The 5.5 km (3.4 mi) sections from Damansara–Puchong Expressway at Penchala, Penchala Tunnel to Mont Kiara. The Kilometre Zero of the Penchala Link's section is located at Mont Kiara Interchange

History

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The proposal to build the expressway was motivated by heavy traffic on Jalan Damansara. The concession for the expressway was awarded to Sistem Penyuraian Trafik KL Barat Sdn Bhd (SPRINT). On 23 October 1997, the concession agreement was signed between the Government of Malaysia and Sprint for the privatisation of the improvement, upgrading, design, construction, maintenance, operations, and management of the expressway.[citation needed]

A supplementary agreement was subsequently signed on 4 September 1998 to defer the construction of the Penchala Link. The concession period is for 33 years and commenced on the effective date on 15 December 1998. After this period, the toll collection will cease and the highways will be handed over to the government. Construction began in 1999, which included acquiring and upgrading several major roads, such as Jalan Damansara, Jalan Kayu Ara, Jalan Sri Hartamas, and Jalan Semantan. The Kerinchi Link and Damansara Link were opened in 2001, followed by the Penchala Link in 2004.[citation needed]

This expressway also featured its own toll collection system known as the "FasTrak". On 1 July 2004, the FasTrak electronic payment system was replaced by Touch 'n Go and Smart TAG electronic payment systems.[citation needed]

Pioneer roads

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The construction of the SPRINT Expressway included acquiring and upgrading several major roads:

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Roads Sections
Jalan Sri Hartamas Sri Hartamas
Jalan Bukit Kiara Sri Hartamas–Bukit Kiara
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Roads Sections
Jalan Semantan Jalan Duta–Damansara Town Centre
Jalan Beringin South side
Jalan Johar–Semantan
Jalan Johar Jalan Beringin–Jalan Damansara
Jalan Damansara Damansara Town Centre–Damansara
Jalan Kayu Ara Damansara–Kampung Kayu Ara

Features

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The Damansara Link section of Klang Valley's Sprint Expressway.
A section of the former Damansara Town Centre building as seen from Sprint Expressway's Damansara Link.

The expressway has several notable features:

Controversies and criticisms

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The double-deck carriageway design of Kerinchi Link from Bukit Kiara Interchange Exit 2307 to Kerinchi Interchange Exit 2308 was made as a result of the early controversial issues during the development stage. The construction of the stretch took place at the border of Universiti Malaya, which meant that the construction could take up some of the university area, which sparked complaints. As a result, the expressway concessionaire Sprint came up with the idea of a double-deck carriageway which could reduce the land usage.

Damansara Town Centre as the "island" of separated carriageway

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During the construction of the expressway, Jalan Semantan could not be widened to six lanes; consequently, the highway concessionaire took another main road at Damansara Town Centre for the Eastbound route, including Jalan Johar and Jalan Beringin. Damansara Town Centre became the "island" of the separated carriageways.

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Disputed ramp

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When the expressway was opened to the traffic, the 530 m-long two-lane off-ramp from the Northbound direction of Kerinchi Link to Penchala Link at the Mont Kiara Interchange Exit 2303 could not be opened to traffic as a result of a land owner fencing the land which became a part of the ramp. The land owner's action has created difficulties among the residents of Bukit Kiara and Sri Hartamas, and even the highway concessionaire itself.

Meanwhile, the highway concessionaire has made a narrower temporary ramp to Penchala Link but according to the highway concessionaire, the temporary ramp is quite unsafe due to risks of being collided from behind. For the time being, the highway concessionaire is still negotiating with the land owner in order to open the two-lane ramp.[1]

Opening the ramp

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At 3pm, 3 June 2010, Works Minister Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor officially opened this disputed ramp.

Hitherto, road users living in the Mont Kiara and Sri Hartamas areas wanting to go to Jalan Duta, Duta–Ulu Klang Expressway (DUKE) and Penchala Link only had two lanes to use.

"This new ramp will ease the movement of almost 22,000 vehicles per day", he told reporters after opening the ramp.

Shaziman said the 50-metre ramp, which was delayed for seven years owing to problems related to acquisition of land, was completed in five months after the intervention by the Malaysian Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who had immediately approved about RM20 million for the acquisition of land.

The old SJKC Damansara near Sprint Expressway

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The old SJKC Damansara has one block located at Section 17 near Jalan Damansara (now Sprint Expressway). However, on 26 January 2001, the school was moved from old block at Section 17 to the new smart school at PJU 3, near Tropicana Golf and Country Club following the instructions from federal government that it no longer provided a "conducive learning environment" because of traffic congestion and noise pollution from the neighbouring Sprint Expressway.

Tolls

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The Sprint Expressway uses open toll systems.

Electronic Toll Collections (ETC)

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As part of an initiative to facilitate faster transactions at the Kerinchi Link, Damansara Link and Penchala Link Toll Plazas, all toll transactions at three stretches toll plazas on the Sprint Expressway have been conducted electronically via Touch 'n Go cards or SmartTAGs since 2 March 2016.[2][3]

Toll rates

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(As of 15 October 2015)[4][5][6]

Class Type of vehicles Rate (in Malaysian Ringgit (RM))
Kerinchi Link Damansara Link
(NKVE and TTDI bound only)
Penchala Link
0 Motorcycles, bicycles or vehicles with 2 or less wheels Free
1 Vehicles with 2 axles and 3 or 4 wheels excluding taxis RM2.50 RM2.00 RM3.00
2 Vehicles with 2 axles and 5 or 6 wheels excluding buses RM7.00 RM4.00 RM6.00
3 Vehicles with 3 or more axles RM10.50 RM6.00 RM9.00
4 Taxis RM1.80 RM1.00 RM1.50
5 Buses RM1.50 RM1.00 RM2.00

Toll names

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Abbreviation Name
KCL Kerinchi Link
DRL Damansara Link
MTK Mont Kiara
DMR Damansara

Junction lists

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Legend:


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The entire route is located in Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur.

km Exit Name Destinations Notes
0.0 2301 Jalan Duta I/C New Klang Valley Expressway AH141 – Ipoh, Klang, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) , Johor Bahru
Duta–Ulu Klang Expressway AH141 – Kepong, Batu Caves, Ulu Klang, Ampang, Genting Highlands, Kuantan
Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim (Jalan Duta) – Jalan Duta, City Centre, Segambut
Directional T expressway interchange
2302 Mont Kiara I/C Sprint Expressway (Penchala Link-Penchala Tunnel) – Taman Tun Dr. Ismail, Mutiara Damansara, Damansara, Puchong, Putrajaya, Cyberjaya, Sungai Besi Stacked interchange
Jalan Sri Hartamas 22 Exit Jalan Sri Hartamas 22 – Desa Sri Hartamas Mont Kiara bound
2303 Sri Hartamas I/C Jalan 19/70A – Desa Sri Hartamas, Mont Kiara, Segambut, Sri Hartamas, Jalan Duta, Plaza Damas Diamond interchange
3.0
Jalan 48/70 Exit Jalan 48/70 – Kiara View Mont Kiara bound
3.9 2305 Pusat Sains Negara I/C Persiaran Bukit Kiara – Bukit Kiara Equestrian & Country Resort, Pusat Sains Negara (National Science Centre), Bukit Damansara Diamond interchange
4.0
Securities Commission Malaysia Securities Commission Malaysia Kerinchi bound
Royal Selangor Club Royal Selangor Club Mont Kiara bound
2306 INTAN I/C Jalan Bukit Kiara 1 – Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club, Sime Darby Convention Centre, Institut Tadbiran Awam Negara (INTAN) (National Institute of Public Administration) Main Gate Diamond interchange
Jalan Bukit Kiara Exit Jalan Bukit Kiara 1 – Bukit Kiara, Bukit Kiara Sports Complex, Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club Mont Kiara bound
2307 Bukit Kiara I/C Slip Roads to Jalan Dato' Abu Bakar – Section—until --, Section 17 commercial centre, Section 17
Sprint Expressway (Damansara Link) – Damansara, Taman Tun Dr. Ismail, Bangsar, Damansara Town Centre, City Centre, Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC)
New Klang Valley Expressway AH2 – Ipoh, Klang, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) , Johor Bahru
Stacked interchange
Double deck carriageway
Kerinchi Link Toll Plaza (Kerinchi Bound) Touch 'n Go SmartTAG BET MyRFID
Kerinchi Link Toll Plaza (Mount Kiara Bound) Touch 'n Go SmartTAG BET MyRFID
Double deck carriageway
2308 Kerinchi I/C FT 2 Federal HighwayPetaling Jaya, Subang Jaya, Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport , Shah Alam, Klang
KL Gateway-Universiti LRT station 5
Setiawangsa–Pantai ExpresswaySetiawangsa, Bandar Malaysia, Wangsa Maju, Kuantan
Directional T expressway interchange
Diamond interchange
Stacked interchange
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States District km Exit Name Destinations Notes Pictures
Selangor Petaling 106 Damansara-NKVE I/C New Klang Valley Expressway AH2 AH141Alor Setar, George Town, Ipoh, Rawang, Sungai Buloh, Kuala Lumpur, Kuantan, Klang, Shah Alam, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) , Sungai Besi, Seremban, Malaca, Johor Bahru Closed tolled expressway Trumpet interchange
T/P Damansara Toll Plaza Touch 'n Go Touch 'n Go SmartTAG SmartTAG MyRFID MyRFID SmartTAG SmartTAG Touch 'n Go Touch 'n Go
Restricted Routes
Heavy vehicles (laden and unladen heavy vehicles weighing 10,000 kg or more) are not allowed to enter the expressway Monday to Friday (except public holidays) 6:30 am to 9:30 am.
Shah Alam - Jalan Duta (km 9.3 - km 31)
0.0 Kampung Sungai Kayu Ara Kampung Sungai Kayu Ara
0.1 Kayu Ara flyover
Sungai Kayu Ara bridge
Start/End of flyover
0.2 2309 Kayu Ara flyover
Kayu Ara Interchange
Jalan SS 23/23 – Damansara Jaya, Atria Shopping Gallery Half-diamond interchange
0.3 Kayu Ara flyover Start/End of flyover
0.4 Jalan SS 21/1 Exit Jalan SS 21/1 – Damansara Utama Junctions from NKVE only
Jalan SS 22/11 Exit Jalan SS 22/11 – Damansara Jaya Junctions from Jalan Duta only
1.0 2310 Damansara Utama I/C Damansara–Puchong Expressway – Kepong, Sungai Buloh, Bandar Utama, Taman Tun Dr. Ismail, Puchong, Putrajaya, Cyberjaya, Sungai Besi Multi-level stacked diamond interchange
Tropicana City Mall Tropicana City Mall Parking ramp interchanges
Kuala Lumpur SS 20 Exit Jalan Damansara – SS 20, Tropicana City Mall Eastbound
BR Sungai Penchala bridge
Bukit Kiara Muslim Cemetery Bukit Kiara Muslim Cemetery Eastbound, For Muslims only
2311 Section 17 I/C Jalan 17/21 – Section 17 Interchange
2312 TTDI South I/C Jalan DamansaraTaman Tun Dr. Ismail
Damansara–Puchong Expressway – Bandar Utama, Mutiara Damansara, Sungai Buloh, Kepong
Interchange with ramp to Jalan Damansara
3.0 L/B Damansara Link Toll Plaza Damansara Link Toll Plaza – TnG TAG
Customer Service Centre
Sprint operation office
TTDI bound only
Damansara Link Toll Plaza (Plaza B = NKVE bound) Touch 'n Go Touch 'n Go SmartTAG SmartTAG MyRFID
Jalan 17/1 Exit Jalan 17/1 – Section 17, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) (Petaling Jaya Campus) Junctions on the Eastin Hotel one way
Damansara Link Toll Plaza (Plaza A = TTDI bound) Touch 'n Go Touch 'n Go SmartTAG SmartTAG MyRFID
L/B Petronas L/B Petronas L/B – Petronas Dunkin' Donuts Jalan Duta bound
Phileo Damansara MRT station Phileo Damansara MRT station 9
TTDI Bound Exit Jalan DamansaraTaman Tun Dr. Ismail
Damansara–Puchong Expressway – Bandar Utama, Mutiara Damansara, Sungai Buloh, Kepong
Elevated U-Turn Kuala Lumpur, Damansara Town Centre, Damansara City From Section 17 slip roads (Jalan 16/11) to Kuala Lumpur via Damansara Link
4.0 2313 Section 16 I/C Kelab Golf Perkhidmatan Awam (KGPA), Section 17 Slip Roads (Jalan 16/11), Section 16 commercial centre, Section 16, Section 17
Jalan Dato' Abu Bakar – Jalan Universiti, Jalan Kemajuan, Universiti Malaya, Petaling Jaya
Diamond interchange
2307 Bukit Kiara I/C Slip Roads (Jalan 16/11) to Jalan Dato' Abu Bakar – Section—until --, Section 16 commercial centre, Section 16, Section 17
Sprint Expressway (Kerinchi Link) – Ipoh, Segambut, Mont Kiara, Sri Hartamas, Kerinchi, Petaling Jaya, Cheras, Seremban
Stacked interchange
Jalan Gegambir Exit Jalan Gegambir – Universiti Malaya Junctions from Jalan Duta only
Jalan Setiapuspa Exit Jalan Setiapuspa – Taman Bukit Damansara Junctions from Damansara only
Jalan Medang Tanduk Exit Jalan Medang Tanduk – Bukit Bandaraya Junctions from Jalan Duta only
7.0
2314 Maarof I/C Jalan Maarof – Bangsar, KL Sentral, Mid Valley City Interchange
Start/End of separated carriageway
Jalan Kasah Exit Jalan Kasah – Petron Junctions from Damansara only
Pusat Bandar Damansara MRT station P&R Pusat Bandar Damansara MRT station 9
Jalan Johar Exit Jalan Johar Junctions from Jalan Duta only
2314A Bukit Damansara I/C Jalan Beringin/Jalan Johar – Damansara Heights, Damansara Town Centre, Damansara City, U-turn to Petaling Jaya Interchange from Damansara only
2314B I/C Jalan Damanlela Off ramp from Damansara only
Damansara City Exit Damansara City Off ramp from Damansara only
2315D I/C Bangsar, Jalan Maarof, Taman Duta, HELP Residency Trumpet interchange from Jalan Duta only
2315C I/C Jalan DamansaraGaleria Sri Perdana, Medan Damansara, Bukit Damansara, Jalan Johar, Bangsar Trumpet interchange from Jalan Duta only
2315A Semantan I/C Jalan Dungun/Jalan Beringin
– U-turn to Kuala Lumpur
Interchange
Start/End of separated carriageway
Semantan MRT station Semantan MRT station 9
Jalan Damansara Endah Exit Jalan Damansara Endah – ECM Libra Building
Junctions from Jalan Duta only
Jalan Dungun Exit Jalan Dungun – Wisma UN (United Nations Headquarters in Malaysia), Wisma I&P, HELP University Junctions from Damansara only
Changkat Semanatan Underpass Exit Changkat Semanatan – Istana Negara (Gate 2), Suruhanjaya Koperasi Malaysia Headquarters, Wisma Chase Perdana Trumpet interchange
Wisma Damansara Wisma Damansara From Damansara only
8.0
Wisma ELM HELP University (ELM Business School) From Damansara only
Jalan Duta-Semantan I/C Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim (Jalan Duta) – Ipoh, Kuantan, Segambut, City Centre, Malaysian Houses of Parliament, Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), Seremban Trumpet interchange
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States District km Exit Name Destinations Notes Pictures
Selangor Petaling 6.2 2304 Penchala I/C Jalan PJU 8/1 – Damansara Perdana, Desa Temuan
Jalan PJU 7/9 – Mutiara Damansara, The Curve, IKANO Power Centre-IKEA
Damansara–Puchong ExpresswayIpoh, Bandar Sri Damansara, Sungai Buloh, Kepong, Petaling Jaya, Puchong, Putrajaya, Cyberjaya, Sungai Besi
Stacked expressway interchange
2316 DASH Highway I/C
Damansara–Shah Alam Elevated ExpresswayPuncak Alam, Puncak Perdana, Subang, Sungai Buloh, Kota Damansara
Stacked expressway interchange
Kuala Lumpur 6.0
Petronas L/B Petronas L/B – Petronas Eastbound
5.0 BR TTDI North flyover
Sungai Penchala bridge
2317 TTDI North flyover
TTDI North I/C
Jalan Datuk Sulaiman – Kampung Sungai Penchala, Taman Tun Dr. Ismail, Rasta @ TTDI Diamond interchange
Motorcycle shelter points Eastbound
Motorcycles only
4.0 T/N Penchala Tunnel Maximum height: 5 m Length: 0.7 km
Motorcycle shelter points Motorcycle shelter points – Westbound
Motorcycles only
Petronas L/B Petronas L/B – Petronas Westbound
T/P Mont Kiara Toll Plaza Touch 'n Go Touch 'n Go SmartTAG SmartTAG MyRFID MyRFID SmartTAG SmartTAG Touch 'n Go Touch 'n Go
0.0 2302 Mont Kiara flyover
Mont Kiara I/C
New Klang Valley Expressway AH141Ipoh, Klang, Kuala Lumpur International Airport , Johor Bahru, Jalan Duta, City Centre, Segambut
Duta–Ulu Klang Expressway AH141Kepong, Batu Caves, Ampang, Ulu Klang, Cheras, Genting Highlands, Kuantan
Sprint Expressway (Kerinchi Link) – Mont Kiara, Sri Hartamas, Damansara Heights, Damansara Town Centre, Petaling Jaya, Cheras, Seremban
Stacked interchange

References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
The Sprint Expressway (E23), also known as SPRINT Highway (Malay: Lebuhraya Sprint), is a 26.5-kilometre toll expressway in the Klang Valley region of Malaysia, primarily serving western Kuala Lumpur. It consists of three interconnected links—Kerinchi Link, Damansara Link, and Penchala Link—forming a six-lane dual carriageway that functions as a free-flow dispersal system to alleviate traffic congestion on inner-city and residential roads leading to the capital. Opened in stages between 2001 and 2004, the expressway connects key areas including Kerinchi, Damansara, and Penchala, facilitating efficient north-south and east-west movement while supporting urban development in the vicinity. Operated by Sistem Penyuraian Trafik KL Barat Sdn Bhd under a 33-year concession granted in 1998, the highway features 13 interchanges, three toll plazas, and innovative engineering elements such as Malaysia's first double-decked carriageway on the Kerinchi Link and the widest highway tunnel in the country—a 700-metre twin-bore structure on the Penchala Link. These design choices enhance capacity and safety, addressing the dense traffic demands of the growing metropolis without relying on unverified media narratives of broader systemic issues. The expressway's , completed as part of the Western Traffic Dispersal Scheme, exemplifies practical infrastructure solutions grounded in observed traffic patterns and engineering feasibility rather than ideological priorities.

Route Description

The Kerinchi Link constitutes the southern segment of the Sprint Expressway, extending approximately 11.5 km northward from the Kerinchi Interchange to the transition with the Damansara Link near the vicinity. This alignment follows a primarily elevated structure, traversing urban terrain in southwestern and facilitating seamless integration into the broader expressway network. At its southern terminus, the Kerinchi Link interconnects with the Federal Highway (Route 2) via a complex three-tier Y-shaped interchange featuring double-deck viaducts, enabling efficient merging from southern arterial roads into the expressway. The route passes adjacent to Universiti Malaya, providing localized access points that support academic and residential traffic flows without direct campus interchanges. Further north, it approaches the Mid Valley area, where proximity to commercial hubs enhances connectivity for outbound dispersal. This segment plays a critical role in diverting vehicular volume from congested southern suburbs, such as those along the Federal Highway, toward central destinations, thereby alleviating pressure on parallel urban roads. Indirect linkages to the Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2) occur through Federal Highway feeders, promoting regional traffic redistribution within the system. The Damansara Link forms the east-west core of the Sprint Expressway, spanning 9.5 kilometers from the Kayu Ara interchange at Kampung Kayu Ara in to the Jalan Duta-Semantan interchange near Semantan in . This segment traverses densely developed urban terrain, incorporating elevated structures over residential areas in Damansara Utama and Damansara Jaya to maintain traffic flow without obstructing ground-level access. Key connections include ramps to Jalan Damansara, enabling integration with local arterials and facilitating entry from adjacent neighborhoods. The route links to extensions of the SPRINT system, supporting continuous dispersal across the . By providing an alternative to surface roads, the Damansara Link functions as a primary bypass for congestion in central Damansara and , diverting vehicles from overburdened paths like Jalan Damansara and Federal Highway segments. The Penchala Link constitutes the eastern segment of the Sprint Expressway, extending approximately 5.5 kilometers from the Penchala Interchange in the west to the Interchange in the east, thereby establishing a key west-east corridor within 's urban network. This configuration integrates seamlessly with the broader Sprint system, which comprises the Kerinchi Link to the south and Damansara Link to the southwest, collectively forming a partial loop that encircles central Kuala Lumpur and facilitates circumferential traffic movement. The link's alignment traverses densely developed suburban terrain, incorporating the 700-meter Penchala Tunnel—a twin-bore structure designed to navigate hilly topography and minimize surface disruption. At its western terminus, the Penchala Link interconnects with the (DASH), enabling efficient inbound and outbound flows from and western suburbs into the city. To the east, it links to the DUKE Highway at , providing onward access to northern and northeastern routes, while offering proximity to upscale residential enclaves such as and . These linkages enhance suburban connectivity, supporting commuter access to commercial hubs and housing developments without funneling all volume through downtown arterials. As part of the Western Traffic Dispersal Scheme, the Penchala Link plays a critical role in redistributing vehicular loads from congested inner-city roads toward peripheral northern suburbs, thereby mitigating peak-hour bottlenecks and promoting balanced urban mobility. Its operational design, including three-lane dual carriageways, accommodates higher capacities for cross-town travel, contributing to the overall system's objective of easing central congestion through alternative peripheral pathways. This dispersal function has been integral since the link's integration into the Sprint network, aiding in the management of growing metropolitan traffic volumes.

History

Planning and Pioneer Roads

The Sprint Expressway was conceptualized in the as a key component of the Malaysian government's Western Traffic Dispersal Scheme, aimed at relieving chronic congestion on the Federal Highway and diverting traffic from overcrowded inner-city and residential roads in the . This initiative formed part of the broader Traffic Masterplan, which sought to establish a network of ring roads and radial expressways to enhance urban mobility and capacity in the rapidly growing western suburbs of the capital. Planning efforts intensified in the mid-1990s, driven by escalating traffic volumes on routes like Jalan Damansara, where bottlenecks severely hampered access to central . The scheme prioritized three interconnected links—Kerinchi, Damansara, and Penchala—to create a 26.5 km dual three-lane system linking major highways such as the Federal Highway, New Pantai Expressway, and North Expressway. Early alignments in the Kerinchi and Damansara areas were identified as precursors, with phased preparatory works enabling integration into the existing road network while minimizing disruption to dense urban development. On October 23, 1997, the government awarded the concession to Sistem Penyuraian Trafik KL Barat Sdn Bhd (SPRINT), a private consortium tasked with financing, designing, and upgrading the route through toll revenues. This -private model involved key players like , which contributed to route design and feasibility assessments to ensure technical viability amid challenging and land constraints. The arrangement emphasized self-sustaining toll-funded to accelerate implementation without straining budgets.

Construction and Development

The Sprint Expressway's development was formalized through a concession agreement signed on 23 October 1997 between the Malaysian government and Sistem Penyuraian Trafik KL Barat Sdn Bhd (SPRINT), with the effective date set for 15 December 1998. A supplementary agreement on 4 September 1998 deferred of the Penchala Link to prioritize initial phases. Principal works commenced shortly thereafter, encompassing upgrades to existing roads and new infrastructure across the 26.4 km, six-lane system. Construction proceeded in phases, with the Damansara Link and Kerinchi Link—the initial segments—completed and operationalized in 2001, marking the first double-decked carriageway in within the Kerinchi section. The Penchala Link followed, reaching completion in 2004 after addressing deferred elements. Contractor handled critical components, including the integration of 13 interchanges to enhance urban connectivity. A primary engineering challenge involved the 700-meter twin-bore , the widest highway tunnel in at the time, constructed via the drill-and-blast method in geologically complex urban terrain reaching depths of up to 30 meters. This approach was necessitated by site constraints precluding tunnel boring machines, demanding precise rock stabilization and ventilation systems to mitigate risks in a densely populated area. The privatized concession model, reliant on toll-backed financing, expedited these phases by leveraging private capital and expertise, thereby averting substantial upfront public debt while achieving operational readiness within five years of the effective concession date.

Opening and Initial Operations


The Kerinchi Link and Damansara Link of the Sprint Expressway commenced operations in 2001, initiating the highway's role as a key dispersal network in western Kuala Lumpur. These sections were developed under a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) concession agreement signed on 23 October 1997, with an effective date of 15 December 1998, and managed by Sistem Penyuraian Trafik KL Barat Sdn Bhd, the concessionaire within the Litrak group. The links provided six lanes of free-flow carriageway, connecting major urban areas and immediately serving as alternatives to overburdened routes like the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE).
Following completion, operational transitioned to the concessionaire, focusing on toll collection and to support initial dispersal. The opening alleviated pressure on inner-city roads by diverting vehicles from congested federal routes, though specific early volume data remains limited in . The Penchala Link's in extended the network, but the 2001 inaugurations established the expressway's foundational connectivity.

Design and Engineering Features

Structural and Technical Specifications

The Sprint Expressway comprises a 26.5 km six-lane configured as a , enabling uninterrupted traffic movement across its three links: Kerinchi, Damansara, and Penchala. This design prioritizes high-capacity throughput by minimizing intersections and employing elevated viaducts where necessary, with the overall structure built to standards for expressways, including for bridges and pavements to withstand heavy urban loads. Key structural elements include the 700-meter twin-bore Penchala Tunnel, engineered as the widest highway tunnel in upon completion, featuring twin parallel bores for bidirectional flow and ventilation systems compliant with local safety norms. The Kerinchi Link introduces 's inaugural double-decked section, stacking roadways vertically to optimize space in dense areas while maintaining structural integrity through post-tensioned slabs. Additionally, the route incorporates 10 pedestrian bridges constructed with steel and to provide safe overpasses, reducing at-grade conflicts. Engineering for efficiency emphasizes durability via asphalt surfacing on bases, designed for repetitive heavy vehicle , though specific material compositions like polymer-modified binders are not publicly detailed beyond standard Malaysian specifications. The lacks specialized earthquake-resistant features, aligning with Malaysia's low-seismic under pre-2017 codes, which prioritize and resilience over seismic detailing. mitigation, where implemented along edges, utilizes barriers to attenuate sound, though comprehensive coverage is not uniformly specified. protocols focus on routine pavement resurfacing and structural inspections to sustain load-bearing capacity, supporting daily volumes that have historically exceeded design thresholds during peak urban demand.

Interchanges and Connectivity

The Sprint Expressway comprises 13 interchanges across its three constituent links, designed to integrate with radial and networks in western for efficient traffic dispersal. These access points primarily utilize ramp systems, including directional and diamond configurations, to connect with major arterials while minimizing weaving conflicts. The Kerinchi Link, oriented north-south over 11.5 km, features interchanges enabling linkage to the Federal Highway at Seputeh for southern access and to the (NKVE, E1) at both Jalan Duta and , with the latter serving as the link's reference . This configuration supports bidirectional ramps to the NKVE, facilitating northward travel toward and southward integration via the Federal Highway, which indirectly connects to the New Pantai Expressway (NPE, E10) near its southern terminus. Intermediate ramps provide dispersal to urban locales such as and Kampung Kerinchi, enhancing local connectivity without direct radial highway ties. The Damansara Link, spanning 9.5 km in an east-west alignment, originates at Kampung Kayu Ara (its ) and terminates at the Jalan Duta-Semantan Interchange, incorporating ramps for access to suburbs and integration with surrounding surface roads. Its western extensions link to the Lebuhraya Damansara-Puchong (LDP, E11) at Damansara Utama, promoting cross-traffic flow between central and western suburbs. The Penchala Link connects westward from to Sungai Penchala, interfacing with the LDP at the Penchala Interchange via multi-level ramps that accommodate high-volume turns toward Bandar Utama and Mutiara Damansara. This setup emphasizes seamless merging with the LDP's east-west corridor, bolstering overall network redundancy for commuters avoiding city-center bottlenecks. Collectively, these interchanges prioritize integration with the NKVE for regional expressway access, the LDP for suburban loops, and local feeders via the Federal Highway, forming a dispersal skeleton that links isolated urban pockets to the national highway grid.

Ownership, Operation, and Tolls

Concession Agreement and Operator

The concession agreement for the Sprint Expressway was signed on 23 October 1997 between the Government of Malaysia and SPRINT Sdn Bhd, authorizing the private entity to improve, upgrade, operate, and maintain the highway under a 33-year term effective from 15 December 1998. The Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) serves as the regulatory body, monitoring compliance with concession terms including maintenance standards, toll adjustments, and handover provisions at expiry. SPRINT Sdn Bhd, the concessionaire, is operated by Litrak Infra Berhad, a subsidiary of Litrak Holdings Sdn Bhd, in which Gamuda Berhad holds a controlling interest through direct and indirect stakes exceeding 70%. This privatized toll concession framework was designed to attract private capital and technical expertise for expansion during Malaysia's economic boom, when public fiscal resources were stretched by competing national priorities such as industrialization and urban growth. By shifting and operational responsibility to concessionaires funded via user tolls, the model facilitated rapid development without immediate strain on budgets, though it embedded long-term revenue streams for operators. Government initiatives to abolish tolls on highways like Sprint, pledged in political manifestos since at least the 2018 elections, have encountered repeated delays as of 2025, primarily due to the prohibitive costs of compensating concessionaires for foregone revenues and assuming maintenance liabilities, projected in the billions of ringgit. Works Minister Datuk Seri noted that outright abolition would impose billions in payouts alongside ongoing road upkeep burdens previously covered by tolls, contrasting with more feasible short-term measures like hike deferrals funded by annual government subsidies exceeding RM500 million across multiple expressways. For Sprint and affiliated concessions under Gamuda-Litrak, this has manifested in stalled buyout talks, such as 2022 negotiations with state-linked investor Amanah Lebuhraya Rakyat (ALR), prioritizing rate freezes over termination amid fiscal prudence.

Toll Collection Systems and Rates

The Sprint Expressway operates an (ETC) system featuring dedicated lanes for cards and transponders, enabling cashless payments and reducing wait times at plazas compared to manual collection methods. These systems were standardized following the phase-out of the proprietary in 2004, aligning with national ETC adoption to minimize congestion on urban routes. Since August 2023, the expressway has incorporated open payment options, accepting contactless credit and debit cards at select lanes as part of a nationwide trial to further digitize tolling and accommodate users without dedicated transponders. This expansion, extended into 2024 for highways including Sprint, supports RFID compatibility while maintaining interoperability with legacy ETC devices amid gradual system upgrades. Toll rates, unchanged as of October 2025 following the postponement of scheduled increases under concession reviews, are segmented by vehicle class and plaza location, with revenues directed toward and operations without government subsidies.
Vehicle ClassDescriptionRate per Plaza (RM)
Class 1Car (2 axles, 3/4 wheels, excl. )2.00–3.00
Class 2Van (2 axles, 6 wheels)2.00–3.00
Rates apply uniformly across key plazas such as those at Jalan Duta, Damansara, and Penchala links, scaled for heavier vehicles with additional axles.

Traffic Impact and Economic Role

Congestion Relief and Usage Data

The SPRINT Expressway, developed under the Western Traffic Dispersal Scheme, diverts vehicles from the Federal Highway, which experiences chronic peak-hour congestion due to high commuter volumes in the corridor. By linking key western suburbs via its Kerinchi, Damansara, and Penchala sections, it provides free-flow alternatives that reduce reliance on the Federal Highway's surface-level bottlenecks. Empirical usage reflects its effectiveness in absorbing , with operator data showing average daily volumes on sections like the Kerinchi Link rising from approximately 72,000 vehicles in 2010 to projected levels exceeding 113,000 by 2015, indicating sustained demand from urban commuters. Overall has maintained stability post-toll adjustments, with volumes supporting growth for concessionaire Projek Lintasan Kota Holdings Sdn Bhd despite periodic dips from rate hikes, such as a 9.7% decline in 2016 following a 33-40% increase. These figures underscore SPRINT's role in channeling over 100,000 vehicles daily across its 26.5 km length, easing parallel routes during non-peak times. The private toll-based concession model expedited construction and prioritized high-density corridors, enabling operational sections by 1998-2000 ahead of potential public-sector delays tied to budgetary constraints. This approach facilitated targeted relief without broad infrastructure overbuild, though ongoing urban growth has led to intermittent hotspots on SPRINT itself. Specific pre- and post-opening congestion reductions on the Federal Highway, such as measured percentage drops in travel times or volumes, remain undocumented in public operator or government reports, limiting causal attribution to qualitative dispersal effects.

Broader Economic Contributions

The Sprint Expressway has bolstered commercial development in the Damansara and Penchala regions by offering efficient connectivity to central , enabling faster goods transport and workforce mobility that underpin suburban business hubs. These links, integral to the Western Kuala Lumpur Traffic Dispersal Scheme, alleviate bottlenecks that previously hindered expansion in high-density commercial zones, fostering sustained private in retail, , and facilities. Under Malaysia's build-operate-transfer (BOT) framework, the expressway demonstrates efficiency in delivery, with concessionaires recovering costs via tolls rather than taxpayer-funded loans or delays inherent in public procurement. This model has enabled timely completion—opened in phases from 1998 to 2000—while generating returns exceeding those of debt-financed alternatives, as private operators optimize maintenance and to maximize revenue without fiscal strain on the state. In the , the highway supports macroeconomic growth by streamlining logistics flows and curtailing non-productive travel times, consistent with analyses of tolled networks that link enhanced road efficiency to higher regional and GDP contributions through reduced congestion costs. Transport infrastructure like SPRINT aligns with national plans emphasizing highway dispersal for economic dynamism, indirectly amplifying output in trade-dependent sectors by integrating peripheral areas into the metropolitan core.

Controversies and Criticisms

Land Acquisition Disputes

The development of the Sprint Expressway in the 1990s involved compulsory land acquisitions under Malaysia's Land Acquisition Act 1960 (LAA), particularly for the Kerinchi Link section adjacent to Universiti Malaya, where spatial constraints prompted a double-deck design to minimize the land footprint required from bordering properties. Landowners raised compensation claims, arguing that initial awards undervalued properties in a high-growth urban corridor, potentially disrupting planned developments such as residential or commercial projects. A notable dispute arose with Kenny Heights Development Sdn Bhd, whose land was acquired for the highway alignment; the company initiated land reference proceedings under section 37 of the LAA to contest the compensation quantum, citing the strategic value of the site near key Kuala Lumpur interconnectors. Sistem Penyuraian Trafik KL Barat Sdn Bhd (SPRINT), the concessionaire contractually obligated to fund and bear compensation costs under its privatization agreement with the government, sought intervention in these proceedings to safeguard its financial interests and ensure accurate valuation reflective of project-specific impacts. The High Court initially denied intervention, but the Court of Appeal reversed this in 2009, affirming SPRINT's locus standi due to its direct pecuniary stake, thereby allowing participation in determining fair market value adjusted for severance and injurious affection. These disputes highlighted tensions between rights and public infrastructure needs in densely populated areas, with critics pointing to procedural delays and perceived undervaluation—common in LAA cases where awards are based on pre-acquisition amid rising urban land prices—as causing financial hardship to affected parties. However, resolutions through judicial reference and negotiated settlements enabled to proceed without protracted halts, ultimately facilitating the expressway's completion by 2000 and delivering congestion to over 100,000 daily vehicles in western , underscoring the trade-off of short-term displacements for sustained regional mobility gains. No indefinite delays materialized, as the legal process under the LAA prioritized timely adjudication while mandating payments exceeding initial gazetted sums in contested references.

Design and Safety Concerns

The Sprint Expressway's Damansara Link section incorporates a separated configuration around the Damansara , forming an "island" of local roads isolated between the eastbound and westbound lanes; this layout was adopted during construction to bypass the need for widening Jalan Semantan to six lanes, preserving existing urban development while maintaining . This choice has drawn for potentially complicating local access and increasing navigation complexity for drivers unfamiliar with the split alignment, though it provides a 3 km toll-free alternative route via the central section. A 530 m two-lane off-ramp from the expressway to the Penchala Link at remained unopened for over eight years following initial construction due to land acquisition disputes with nearby developers concerned about traffic impacts and property values. The ramp was eventually commissioned on June 3, 2010, by the Works Minister, benefiting residents in and by improving connectivity, though subsequent proposals in 2024 indicate ongoing discussions for additional ramps to address persistent congestion at nearby intersections. The proximity of the expressway to SJKC Damansara Utama has prompted resident concerns over traffic noise and potential safety risks to students, particularly during peak hours when high-speed vehicles pass adjacent to the school grounds. Mitigation efforts included the installation of noise barriers along affected sections of the Sprint Expressway to reduce sound levels from passing traffic. Despite these measures, some local complaints persist regarding residual , attributed to the elevated structure's location near residential and educational areas. Structural integrity assessments of the expressway, including flyovers, have confirmed no significant cracks or defects as of June 2024, following public concerns raised via imagery. While isolated incidents, such as a motorcyclist collision with a string in , highlight occasional hazards, broader Malaysian expressway indicate that fatalities per kilometer on such routes stand at approximately 0.404, with no specific elevated rates reported for the Sprint Expressway amid urban interfacing factors like adjacent congestion.

Toll Policy and Concession Challenges

The Sprint Expressway's toll policy has faced ongoing public and political scrutiny, with critics in media outlets frequently accusing the concessionaire of via prolonged revenue extraction from an aging urban infrastructure initially developed under a 33-year agreement commencing December 15, 1998. Such characterizations overlook the contractual safeguards embedded in the concession, which allocate risks and returns to incentivize private investment in , upgrades, and perpetual maintenance, thereby averting reliance on taxpayer subsidies that have historically plagued government-managed roadways elsewhere in . Operators like Projek Lintasan Kota Holdings Sdn Bhd (Prolintas), which manages Sprint among other assets, have defended toll persistence as essential to covering operational costs, noting that urban highways like Sprint generate lower volumes compared to intercity routes, rendering them less profitable and more vulnerable to underinvestment without user fees. Government interventions in the 2020s, including Pakatan Harapan's 2018 manifesto pledge for staged toll abolition, encountered delays due to fiscal realities, with buyout valuations for Sprint's concession—set to expire around 2031—potentially requiring billions in ringgit compensation to honor investor protections and avoid litigation. By 2025, these ambitions shifted to rate freezes, as evidenced by agreements maintaining Sprint tolls unchanged for up to 10 years or until concession end, with the federal government absorbing over RM500 million in compensation across 10 major expressways to avert hikes of up to 83%. Works Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi emphasized that outright abolition would divert billions from public priorities like education and healthcare into maintenance, underscoring the concession's role in self-financing infrastructure sustainability. Debates pit pro-toll perspectives—favoring the user-pays principle for efficient and evidence-based upkeep—against anti-toll equity claims highlighting commuter burdens in low-income areas. Empirical precedents in illustrate that toll removal without alternative mechanisms correlates with deferred repairs and congestion spikes, as state budgets prioritize non-infrastructure needs, whereas privatized concessions enforce performance standards via revenue-linked obligations. Critics' equity arguments, while noting regressive impacts on frequent users, fail to account for broader causal dynamics: alternatives often yield fiscal deficits exceeding RM400 billion nationwide for full abolition, straining national debt without proportional maintenance gains. As of October 2025, the persists, balancing contract integrity with periodic interventions to moderate rates amid political pressures.

References

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