West Coast Expressway

The West Coast Expressway is an interstate controlled-access highway running along the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The 233-kilometre (145-mile) expressway is currently under construction, with several sections open for public use. Once completed, the expressway will run between Changkat Jering, Perak and Banting, Selangor, following federal routes 5 and 60 for most of its route. The expressway will operate in three sections, with sections of federal route 5 completing the missing connections; these sections will be upgraded to limited-access roads. The expressway is expected to be fully completed by the end of 2022,[1] except for a 10 km stretch from Section 7B which is expected to be completed by June 2024.[2]

This article is about the expressway in Malaysia. For the highway running along the west coast of South Korea, see Seohaean Expressway.

Expressway 32
West Coast Expressway
Lebuhraya Pesisiran Pantai Barat
Route information
Maintained by West Coast Expressway Sdn Bhd
Length233.0 km (144.8 mi)
Status3 sections opened:
  • Beruas–Lekir
  • Teluk Intan–Hutan Melintang
  • Kapar–Bukit Raja
Existed2014–present
HistoryOpened in stages from June 2019, expected completion in 2024.
Major junctions
North end Federal route 60 and North–South Expressway Northern Route at Changkat Jering, Perak
  Federal route 5
Federal route 58
Kuala Lumpur–Kuala Selangor Expressway
New North Klang Straits Bypass
Federal Highway
Shah Alam Expressway
South Klang Valley Expressway
South end Jalan Banting–Dengkil at Banting, Selangor
Location
Primary
destinations		Taiping, Pantai Remis, Beruas, Sitiawan, Teluk Intan, Hutan Melintang, Sabak Bernam, Sekinchan, Kuala Selangor, Kapar, Sungai Besar, Bukit Raja, Klang, Banting
Highway system

The expressway is being built by Konsortium Lebuhraya Pantai Barat. Approval was given by the government for the construction, which was to begin from 20 December 2013 and was to be completed within five years.[3] The project was delayed and actual construction began in May 2014. Currently, a 9.7-kilometre segment between Kapar and Bukit Raja,[4] a 19-kilometre segment from Hutan Melintang to Teluk Intan[5] and a 45-kilometre segment from Lekir to Beruas[6] are opened to traffic.

Overview

Construction of the expressway is divided into eleven packages. Works for the first five packages commenced in May 2014, of which three packages are in Selangor while the other two are in Perak. The stretches between Tanjung Karang to Hutan Melintang and Teluk Intan to Kampung Lekir are using the existing stretches of federal route 5, both of which are currently being upgraded. As a result, the expressway will consist of three non-contiguous stretches of controlled-access expressway (JKR R6), i.e. from Banting to Tanjung Karang, Hutan Melintang to Teluk Intan and Lekir to Changkat Jering while the two stretches on federal route 5 are partial access highways (JKR R5) featuring grade-separated interchanges at major junctions, left-in/left-out junctions and at-grade U-Turns.

A spur link from Changkat Keruing to Siputeh (near Ipoh) in Perak which will be connected via an interchange with the main link is also in the plan. Construction of the spur link is however deferred. The spur link will consist of a controlled-access expressway (JKR R6) stretch from Changkat Keruing to Parit while the stretch between Parit to Siputeh will use the existing stretch of federal route 73 will be similarly upgraded like the two federal route 5 stretches of the main link.

The controlled-access expressway stretches will use a closed toll system like the North–South Expressway. Toll collection has started at all opened stretches of the expressway. The stretches on existing federal roads will remain toll-free.

The highway will cost about RM 4.6 billion, where RM3.6 billion will be construction costs. The concessionaire company is planning to issue bonds in 2009.

On 25 May 2014, the construction of the expressway began. The groundbreaking ceremony for the new expressway was held near the Teluk Intan interchange in Teluk Intan, Perak.

Five interchanges (sections 4–5, 8–10) were expected to be opened in time for Eid al-Fitr in 2019[7] but a burst water pipe on 5 May 2019 delayed the opening of sections 4–5.[8]

On 31 May 2019, section 8 between Hutan Melintang and Teluk Intan in Perak was opened to traffic. The opening ceremony was officiated by the Deputy Minister of Works, Mohd. Anuar Tahir.[5] This followed by the opening of sections 9 and 10 between Lekir and Beruas, also in Perak on 23 September 2019 and officiated by Works Ministry secretary-general Datuk Dr Syed Omar Sharifuddin Syed Ikhsan.[6] The first section to open in Selangor was section 5 between Kapar and Bukit Raja and officiated by Malaysian Highway Authority director-general Datuk Mohd Shuhaimi Hassan. This stretch was opened to public on 10 December 2019.[9]

As of 10 December 2019, the expressway is 71% completed[9] with section 4 (Federal Highway 2–Bandar Bukit Raja (North)) slated to be opened in Q1 2020 followed by sections 1–3 (Banting–Federal Highway 2) & section 6 (Kapar–Assam Jaya) in early 2021.[1]Land acquisition issues and alignment changes causing delay of the construction of section 7 (Assam Jawa–Tanjung Karang),[7] which will be completed by 2024 along with section 11 (Beruas–Taiping South).[10] [11]

WCE group has the first right of refusal for Section 12 (Siputeh – Segari) which will cost RM600 million with 41 km stretch. There is a plan to extend the expressway all the way to Penang if it is feasible.[10]

Route background

The northern terminus of the expressway will be located at Changkat Jering on the North–South Expressway Northern Route. The southern terminus will be located at Banting on Federal Route 31. The expressway will also have interchanges to Trong, Beruas, Changkat Cermin, Sitiawan, Lekir, Teluk Intan, Hutan Melintang, Sabak Bernam, Sungai Besar, Sekinchan, Tanjung Karang, Kuala Lumpur–Kuala Selangor Expressway at Assam Jawa, Kapar, New North Klang Straits Bypass, New Klang Valley Expressway at Bukit Raja, Federal Highway at Klang, Sri Andalas, Shah Alam Expressway near Jalan Kebun and South Klang Valley Expressway.

12 sites have been identified as rest and services area with each area will have 2 petrol stations.[10]

Junction list
StateDistrictLocationkmExitNameDestinationsNotes
PerakLarut, Matang and SelamaChangkat Jering​Taiping South Federal route 60 – Changkat Jering, Taiping
() North–South Expressway Northern Route – Kuala Kangsar, Ipoh, George Town, Alor Setar, Kuala Lumpur		Under construction
​Changkat Jering toll plaza (north end of ticket system, under construction)
Terong​3237Terong Federal route 60 – TerongUnder construction
ManjungBeruas241.633235Beruas Federal Route 73 – Beruas, Pantai Remis, Parit
–​3233Changkat Cermin Federal Route 5 – Ayer Tawar, Seri Iskandar, Batu Gajah, Ipoh
Ayer Tawar​Ayer Tawar rest and service area (northbound, under construction)
Sitiawan​3232Sitiawan North Federal route 5 – Sitiawan, Ayer Tawar, Seri Manjung, Lumut
​3231Sitiawan Federal route 5 – Sitiawan
Federal route 60 – Seri Manjung, Lumut
Lekir​Lekir toll plaza (south end of ticket system)
198.243230Kampung Lekir Federal route 5 – Kampung Lekir
193.59–– Federal route 5 – Teluk Intan, Sabak Bernam, Kuala LumpurSouthern terminus of northern section; continues as federal route 5
Under construction
Gap in route, continues as Federal Route 5
PerakHilir PerakBatak Rabit162.073223Teluk Intan Federal route 58 – Teluk Intan, Bidor
Federal route 5 – Hutan Melintang, Sitiawan, Lumut, Ipoh, Alor Setar		Northern terminus of central section; continues as federal route 5
–​Teluk Intan toll plaza (north end of ticket system)
​Teluk Intan rest and service area (both directions, under construction)
Bagan Datuk​Hutan Melintang toll plaza (south end of ticket system)
143.993222Hutan Melintang Federal route 5 – Hutan Melintang, Bagan Datuk, Sabak Bernam, Klang, Kuala Lumpur
Jalan Sungai Samak – Kampung Sungai Samak		Southern terminus of central section; continues as federal route 5
Gap in route, continues as Federal Route 5
SelangorKuala Selangor–​3212Tanjung Karang Federal route 5 – Tanjung Karang, Sabak Bernam, Teluk Intan, Alor SetarNorthern terminus of southern section; continues as federal route 5
Under construction
​Tanjung Karang toll plaza (north end of ticket system, under construction)
​3210Assam Jawa Federal route 54 – (Ijok), Kuala Selangor, Bestari Jaya
Kuala Lumpur–Kuala Selangor Expressway – Rawang, Selayang, Kuala Lumpur		Under construction
KlangKapar​3208Kapar Jalan Perindustrian Kapar–Meru – Meru, Kapar
Bukit Raja​3207Bandar Bukit Raja South(NNKSB2) Jalan Perindustrian Kapar–Meru – Setia Alam, Port Klang, Northport
( ) New North Klang Straits Bypass – Klang, Shah Alam, Kuala Lumpur
–​3205Sri Andalas Federal route 190 – Taman Sri AndalasUnder construction
​3204SAE Shah Alam Expressway – Pulau Indah, Klang, Shah Alam, Subang Jaya, Kuala LumpurUnder construction
Kuala Langat​ South Klang Valley Expressway – Pulau Indah, Putrajaya, Cyberjaya, KajangUnder construction
Banting​Banting toll plaza (south end of ticket system, under construction)
0.003201Banting Jalan Banting–Dengkil – Banting, Dengkil, Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Morib, Tanjung SepatUnder construction
1.000 km = 0.621 mi; 1.000 mi = 1.609 km
  •   Concurrency terminus
  •   Incomplete access
  •   Route transition
  •   Unopened

References
  1. "Hot spots coming up along WCE". Edgeprop.my. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  2. "Bumpy path to profitability | The Star". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  3. http://www.wce.com.my/media-updates/New-beginning-for-KEuro
  4. Chan, Dawn (1 December 2019). "West Coast Expressway opens Section 5 stretch to traffic tonight". NST Online. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  5. Arif, Zahratulhayat Mat (3 May 2019). "Section 8 of West Coast Expressway opens today". NST Online. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  6. Bernama (2 September 2019). "Sections 9, 10 of WCE now open". NST Online. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  7. "West Coast Expressway – Media Updates – WCE back in the spotlight". wce.com.my. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  8. Thiagarajan, Tara (9 May 2019). "Photos Show Extent Of Damage to Collapsed Expressway That Caused Unexpected Water Shortage in Klang – WORLD OF BUZZ". worldofbuzz.com/. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  9. Chan, Dawn (1 December 2019). "West Coast Expressway opens Section 5 stretch to traffic tonight". NST Online. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  10. "In high gear to complete 233km West Coast Expressway | The Star Online". The Star. Malaysia. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  11. "WCE highway completion delayed to 2024 | The Malaysian Reserve". The Malaysian Reserve. Malaysia. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
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