When fully completed at the end of next year or early in 2025, the 275.8 km West Coast Coastal Highway and Malaysian Federal Route 5 (FR5) are anticipated to carry at least 300,000 vehicles per day.
The North-South Motorway (PLUS), which serves 1.8 million users, might potentially shift as little as 20% of the traffic flow, easing congestion there, particularly in the northern half during the holiday season.
Furthermore, since May 2019, the alignment involving Sections 5, 8, 9, and 10 has been open in Bandar Bukit Raja, Hutan Melintang, Lekir, and Changkat Chermin in Perak. This has resulted in a 60% increase in traffic flow this year.
Since it was initially opened in Hutan Melintang, Perak, the 73.4 km stretch has had a traffic flow of 35,000 vehicles; this year, that number grew to 50,000 to 60,000 vehicles per day on average.
This year, four lines, Sections 1, 2, 6, and 11, involving places including Banting, the South Klang Valley Motorway (SKVE), Assam Java, and South Taiping would be opened, according to WCE Berhad’s chief executive officer.
The highway is prepared to accept more than 100,000 vehicles ahead of this Thursday’s Hari Raya Aidiladha celebration, up from the 60,000 vehicles it could hold during the previous Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration.
On the West Coast of the Peninsula, the WCE is also a vital and distinctive route connecting Selangor and Perak’s tourism destinations as well as potentially boosting trade by connecting Port Klang, Lumut, and Penang.
In the meantime, WCE is ideal for commercial vehicles when a 30 to a one-hour reduction in travel time through the highway is possible.
