Following its completion in May, there are calls for the Setiawangsa-Pantai Expressway (SPE) to be opened to the public. Teresa Kok, the Seputeh MP, highlighted the need for the expressway’s accessibility due to upcoming road closures in the Loke Yew Roundabout and Jalan Sungai Besi areas for another project starting on October 2. The mayor of Kuala Lumpur, Datuk Kamarulzaman Mat Salleh, informed Kok that the SPE is expected to open in mid-November.
Questioning the delay in opening the SPE, Kok expressed concerns about the resulting traffic congestion from the road closures along Jalan Sungai Besi and Jalan Loke Yew in Kuala Lumpur. She brought attention to the fact that the SPE’s construction was completed five months ago but it has yet to be accessible to the public. According to the Duke highway website, the SPE is a 29.8km dual-two carriageway that spans across north to south Kuala Lumpur, connecting areas such as Wangsa Maju, Setiawangsa, Ampang, Tun Razak Exchange, and Bandar Malaysia development corridor.
In August, Kok visited the SPE site with Ekovest Bhd’s managing director, Tan Sri Lim Keng Cheng. Additionally, she wrote to Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi on August 15, urging for the expedited opening of the expressway. Traffic consultant Perunding Trafik Klasik Sdn. Bhd. predicts that the SPE can reduce traffic congestion by 10% to 27% in various locations. Specifically, the Setiawangsa area is expected to benefit the most from the expressway with a 27% reduction in traffic.
Kok also stated her intention to write a letter to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who chairs the Cabinet committee on traffic congestion, seeking support for the earlier opening of the SPE. Wong Chan Choy, the president of Taman Desa Residents Association, expressed hope for the prompt opening of the expressway. He emphasized the heavy traffic congestion on the Kuala Lumpur-Seremban Highway, where one of the entrances to the SPE is located, particularly during peak hours. Choy believes that the SPE will significantly improve access to various locations in Kuala Lumpur.
Credit: The Star : Metro Feed
