PONTIAN: The expansion project of the PLUS North-South Expressway from four lanes to six lanes between Senai Utara and Sedenak, will commence in June, this year.
Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) chairman Datuk Seri Hasni Mohammad said Phase 1 of the expansion project, which covers a distance of 21.8km, is expected to take 36 months to be completed.
"The expansion project of the PLUS Highway in Johor from four to six lanes will commence this June, for the first phase. It is expected to be completed within three years.
"It is challenging to widen the roads from Senai Utara to Sedenak given its hilly and steep terrain. However, despite the setbacks, it will be among our primary focus.
"The second phase of the widening project from Sedenak to Machap will commence in the beginning of 2025.
"If feasible, the widening of the highway project will be expanded to Ayer Hitam covering a distance of 17.3km.
"This expansion is still being considered," he said, after officiating a "Gerbang Remaja" mass circumcision programme held at the Penghulu Sungai Pinggan Complex, in Benut here, yesterday.
On Oct 12 last year, the federal government agreed to extend the PLUS Highway expansion project from Sedenak to Simpang Renggam.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, during the 2024 Budget presentation, said the PLUS Highway expansion project in Johor would be developed with an allocation cost of RM931 million.
The south-bound PLUS Highway stretch between Kuala Lumpur and Melaka has been upgraded from six to eight lanes, while the entire stretch of the highway in Johor has only four lanes.
This has led to congestion, especially during peak festive seasons and school holidays, and frequent fatal accidents.
Meanwhile, Hasni, who is also Simpang Renggam member of parliament, said he hoped the PLUS Highway expansion project in Johor will be given priority and will proceed smoothly to avoid any delays from the scheduled completion date.
He said LLM will prioritise traffic management due to anticipated congestion during the expansion works.
"The traffic management plan in the expansion areas is being fine-tuned, including scheduling journeys for heavy vehicles using the highway.
"Some heavy vehicles may be diverted to federal roads, but this is still being studied and discussed," he added.