SUKE Expressway Opens Today - Expected To Reduce Congestion By 36%

The SUKE highway is set to be a useful expressway that can help reduce traffic congestion by up to 36% in the city.

The just-opened Sungai Besi-Ulu Kelang Elevated Expressway (SUKE) along Sri Petaling to Jalan Hulu Kelang is set to be one of the most useful expressways built in Malaysia as it is touted to be able to reduce congestion in the eastern parts of Kuala Lumpur by up to 36%.

BFM who interviewed Prolintas Group CEO, Mohammad Azlan reported that the expressway would reduce congestion by 30% on the MRR2, 36% on Jalan Ampang, and 12% on Jalan Loke Yew.

SUKE to reduce traffic congestion by up to 36%

Bernama also reported that the new 24.4km highway could help reduce traffic congestion in the city, with 80,000 vehicles expected to use it daily.

The SUKE expressway, which cost RM5.7 billion to build was launched yesterday by Senior Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof. Starting today from 12.30 pm, the expressway will be open to the public, and it was announced that it would be toll-free for a month.

Although SUKE is 98% complete, only the fully-completed Phase 1 stretch from the Cheras-Kajang interchange to the Bukit Antarabangsa endpoint will be accessible to the public initially. 

The Cheras Kajang interchange is quite a spectacle as it features Malaysia's first helicoidal ramp, which is basically a spiral road with two loops to get you to the top portion of the interchange. Sitting 56.4 metres tall, the Cheras Kajang portion of SUKE is actually the third tallest elevated road in Malaysia after Penang's Bukit Kukus road and the Rawang Bypass.

SUKE - Third tallest elevated highway in Malaysia

Another plan to continue the amazement of the highway according to Azlan is to build a rest stop that is unique with an unobstructed view of Kuala Lumpur. The rest stop is still in its design and planning phase and is expected to be completed within 36 months.

"We are a city highway and want to have features that are exciting to city folks, said Azlan to BFM. The rest stop will be built near Taman Tasik Tambahan Ampang, which can be accessed from the highway.

For your information, there will be three toll plazas throughout the SUKE expressway, located at Bukit Teratai, Ampang and Alam Damai. Bukit Teratai and Ampang toll plazas are part of the Phase 1 opening. 

When fully opened, SUKE will feature 14 interchanges, including Sri Petaling, Sungai Besi, Alam Damai, Cheras-Kajang, Cheras Hartamas, Bukit Teratai, Tasik Tambahan, Permai, Kosas, Pekan Ampang, Ampang Point, Ulu Kelang, Hillview and Bukit Antarabangsa.

SUKE is also built to connect a complete ring of networked highways and roads in and around Klang Valley as well as the existing Shah Alam Expressway (KESAS), KL-Seremban Highway (KL-SEREMBAN), Sungai Besi Expressway (BESRAYA), Cheras-Kajang Highway (CHERAS-KAJANG), Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway (AKLEH) and Duta-Ulu Klang Expressway (DUKE).