North–South Expressway Northern Route
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The North–South Expressway Northern Route is an interstate
controlled-access highway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms i ...
running parallel to the northwestern coast of
Peninsular Malaysia Peninsular Malaysia ( ms, Semenanjung Malaysia; Jawi: سمننجڠ مليسيا), or the States of Malaya ( ms, Negeri-negeri Tanah Melayu; Jawi: نڬري-نڬري تانه ملايو), also known as West Malaysia or the Malaysian Peninsula, ...
. The expressway forms the north section of the North–South Expressway, passing through the northwestern states of
Kedah Kedah (), also known by its honorific Darul Aman (Islam), Aman and historically as Queda, is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area ...
,
Penang Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
,
Perak Perak () is a state of Malaysia on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. Perak has land borders with the Malaysian states of Kedah to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, and Selangor to the south. Thailand's ...
and
Selangor Selangor (; ), also known by its Arabic language, Arabic honorific Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity", is one of the 13 Malaysian states. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east ...
. The expressway begins at the
Bukit Kayu Hitam Bukit Kayu Hitam is a small town in Kubang Pasu District, Kedah, Malaysia. It is situated near the Malaysia–Thailand border and the main and busiest road border crossing between Malaysia and Thailand is located here. On the Thai side of the bo ...
checkpoint in Kedah where the
Malaysia–Thailand border The Malaysia–Thailand border divides the countries of Malaysia and Thailand and consists of a land boundary running for 595 km (370 mi) across the Malay Peninsula and maritime boundaries in the Straits of Malacca and the Gulf of Thaila ...
lies, and ends at
Bukit Lanjan Bukit Lanjan is a hill in Petaling District, Selangor, Malaysia. Bukit Lanjan is part of the Damansara parliamentary constituency. The Bukit Lanjan state constituency includes Bandar Utama Damansara, Bandar Sri Damansara, Mutiara Damansara, Dam ...
in Selangor where the expressway interchanges with the
New Klang Valley Expressway The New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE), designated E1, is a controlled-access highway located entirely within the Klang Valley region of Selangor and Kuala Lumpur in Peninsular Malaysia. The expressway begins at the settlement of Bukit Raja near ...
. The expressway is operated by
PLUS Expressways The PLUS Expressways Berhad () is the largest highway concessionaries or build–operate–transfer operator company in Malaysia. A member of the UEM Group, the company is also the largest listed toll expressway operator in Southeast Asia and t ...
. The expressway runs in a north–south direction close to the northwestern coast of the peninsula, connecting several major towns including
Alor Setar Alor Setar ( Jawi: الور ستار, Kedahan: ''Loqstaq'') is the state capital of Kedah, Malaysia. It is the second-largest city in the state after Sungai Petani and one of the most-important cities on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia ...
,
Butterworth Butterworth may refer to: Places * Butterworth (ancient township), a former township centred on Milnrow, in the then Parish of Rochdale, England, United Kingdom * Butterworth, Eastern Cape, now also known as Gcuwa, a town located in South Africa ...
,
Taiping __NOTOC__ Taiping, Tai-p’ing, or Tai Ping most often refers to: Chinese history * Princess Taiping (died 713), Tang dynasty princess * Taiping Rebellion (1850–1864), civil war in southern China ** Taiping Heavenly Kingdom (1851–1864), the re ...
,
Ipoh , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Ipoh in Perak , pushpin_map = #Malaysia#Asia#Earth , pushpin_mapsize = 275px , pushpin_map_caption = Ipoh in Malaysia , coordinates ...
and Rawang while also providing access to several rural villages on its path. The expressway runs parallel to the existing Federal Route 1; it is also
concurrent Concurrent means happening at the same time. Concurrency, concurrent, or concurrence may refer to: Law * Concurrence, in jurisprudence, the need to prove both ''actus reus'' and ''mens rea'' * Concurring opinion (also called a "concurrence"), a ...
to the expressway from Bukit Kayu Hitam to Jitra. The
ticket system A ticket system, also known as a closed toll collection system, is a system used on some toll roads in which a user pays a toll rate based on the distance traveled from their originating entrance to their destination exit. The correct toll is de ...
is used for toll collection between the Hutan Kampung and Sungai Dua toll plazas, and also from the Juru toll plaza up to Bukit Lanjan, where the toll collection system merges with that of the
New Klang Valley Expressway The New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE), designated E1, is a controlled-access highway located entirely within the Klang Valley region of Selangor and Kuala Lumpur in Peninsular Malaysia. The expressway begins at the settlement of Bukit Raja near ...
. The section from Sungai Dua to Juru in the state of
Penang Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
is toll-free due to heavy usage by local commuters to access
Penang Bridge The Penang Bridge is a dual carriageway toll bridge and controlled-access highway in the state of Penang, Malaysia. The bridge connects Perai on the mainland side of the state with Gelugor on the island, crossing the Penang Strait. The brid ...
. In the vicinity of Ipoh, the section between Jelapang and Ipoh South features a local-express lane system. This is the longest expressway in Peninsular Malaysia.


Route description

The expressway begins at the
Malaysia–Thailand border The Malaysia–Thailand border divides the countries of Malaysia and Thailand and consists of a land boundary running for 595 km (370 mi) across the Malay Peninsula and maritime boundaries in the Straits of Malacca and the Gulf of Thaila ...
at
Bukit Kayu Hitam Bukit Kayu Hitam is a small town in Kubang Pasu District, Kedah, Malaysia. It is situated near the Malaysia–Thailand border and the main and busiest road border crossing between Malaysia and Thailand is located here. On the Thai side of the bo ...
in
Kedah Kedah (), also known by its honorific Darul Aman (Islam), Aman and historically as Queda, is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area ...
, where the road continues as
Phetkasem Road Phet Kasem Road (, , )ราชบัณฑิตยสถาน. ''อ่านอย่างไร และ เขียนอย่างไร ฉบับราชบัณฑิตยสถาน.'' พิมพ์ครั้งที่ ...
in
Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
. The expressway proceeds southwards through the states of
Kedah Kedah (), also known by its honorific Darul Aman (Islam), Aman and historically as Queda, is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area ...
,
Penang Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
,
Perak Perak () is a state of Malaysia on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. Perak has land borders with the Malaysian states of Kedah to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, and Selangor to the south. Thailand's ...
and
Selangor Selangor (; ), also known by its Arabic language, Arabic honorific Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity", is one of the 13 Malaysian states. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east ...
, where it terminates at its interchange with the
New Klang Valley Expressway The New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE), designated E1, is a controlled-access highway located entirely within the Klang Valley region of Selangor and Kuala Lumpur in Peninsular Malaysia. The expressway begins at the settlement of Bukit Raja near ...
, also designated as route E1. While kilometre readings are taken from north to south, exits are numbered in reverse, from south to north.
PLUS Expressways The PLUS Expressways Berhad () is the largest highway concessionaries or build–operate–transfer operator company in Malaysia. A member of the UEM Group, the company is also the largest listed toll expressway operator in Southeast Asia and t ...
, previously ''Projek Lebuhraya Utara–Selatan'' (PLUS) formed in 1986, operates and maintains the expressway. The concession is scheduled to end on 31 December 2038.


Features


Notable features

Its main features include the
Penang Bridge The Penang Bridge is a dual carriageway toll bridge and controlled-access highway in the state of Penang, Malaysia. The bridge connects Perai on the mainland side of the state with Gelugor on the island, crossing the Penang Strait. The brid ...
which is Malaysia's second longest bridge, Sungai Perak Bridge ( Jambatan Sultan Azlan Shah), Menora Tunnel and the North-South Expressway Monument at Rawang Rest and Service Area (R&R) (North bound). The Gopeng-Tapah section is the most expensive section of the North-South Expressway network. It can be considered as a dangerous stretches. There are two dangerous stretches along the expressway, the Changkat Jering-Ipoh North (Jelapang) and Gopeng-Tapah sections. The
Gopeng Rural Transformation Centre Gopeng is a town located in Mukim Teja, Kampar District, Perak, Malaysia. It is situated approximately south of Ipoh, the state capital. History Gopeng was the most important town in the Kinta Valley until 1890, when Ipoh became more prominen ...
(RTC) Rest and Service Area (RSA) is the first expressway RTC rest and service area in Malaysia. The RTC rest and service area is located near
Simpang Pulai Simpang Pulai ( Jawi: سيمڤڠ ڤولاي; ; Tamil: சிம்பாங் புலாய்) is a town in Kinta District, Perak, Malaysia. Transportation Car As mentioned earlier, highway Federal Route 1, the premier north–south fed ...
Layby north bound of the North–South Expressway Northern Route.


Restricted routes for heavy vehicles

During workdays or peak hours. There is a restricted routes at the North–South Expressway Northern Route from Rawang (South) to Bukit Lanjan. Heavy vehicles (except buses and tankers) with laden and unladen heavy vehicles weighing 10,000 kg or more are not allowed to enter the expressway between 6:30 am until 9:30 am on Monday to Friday (except public holidays). A compound fines will be issued to heavy vehicles which flouted the rule.


Current developments


Kuala Lumpur-Penang Through Traffic (Ipoh North (Jelapang) - Ipoh South local-express lanes)

The Jelapang and Ipoh South toll plazas would be demolished in 2009 to make a non-stop route across
Ipoh , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Ipoh in Perak , pushpin_map = #Malaysia#Asia#Earth , pushpin_mapsize = 275px , pushpin_map_caption = Ipoh in Malaysia , coordinates ...
. This is achieved through the construction of two local-express lanes for each side, which are only accessible via Exit 138 Ipoh South Exit (for northbound traffic) and Exit 141 Ipoh North Exit (for southbound traffic). The toll plazas in Ipoh are therefore relocated at each ends of the local-express lanes. The decision to demolish both toll plazas was made as a result of accidents which happened at Jelapang toll plaza. Since the toll plaza was opened on 28 September 1987, there were many accident cases which involved brake failure in heavy vehicles due to hard braking when proceeding downhill to the toll plaza. On 7 June 2008, the new Ipoh North toll plaza (South bound) replacing old Jelapang toll plaza opened to traffic, followed by north bound on 15 August 2008. Beginning 11:00 am on 14 July 2009, the Kuala Lumpur-Penang through traffic is now opened to traffic. With the opening of the between Ipoh North (Jelapang) and Ipoh South stretch, highway users are no longer required to stop for toll transactions at the Ipoh North and Ipoh South Toll Plazas.~ The
runaway truck ramp A runaway truck ramp, runaway truck lane, escape lane, emergency escape ramp, or truck arrester bed is a traffic device that enables vehicles which are having braking problems to safely stop. It is typically a long, sand- or gravel-filled lane co ...
is also provided in two locations in Jelapang and Menora.


Six-lane widening works


Phase 1: Rawang-Tanjung Malim

The 6-lane stretch which is currently running from
Kuala Lumpur , anthem = '' Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , su ...
(including New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE)) to
Rawang Interchange Rawang may refer to: * Nung Rawang, an ethnic group based in Myanmar * Rawang, Selangor, Malaysia, the district capital of Gombak until 1997 * Rawang (federal constituency), in Selangor, Malaysia * Rawang (state constituency), in Selangor, Malaysi ...
Exit 116 would be expanded to Tanjung Malim Interchange Exit 121.


Phase 2: Tanjung Malim-Slim River

Meanwhile, in the next phase of these works, the 6-lane stretch would be expanded from Tanjung Malim Interchange Exit 121 to Slim River Interchange Exit 126.


Exit 117 Sungai Buaya Interchange

An interchange at Sungai Buaya, Selangor, between Rawang and Bukit Beruntung Interchange was constructed between 2011 and 2013. This new interchange was opened to traffic on 10 January 2014.


Exit 152 Alor Pongsu Interchange

An interchange at Alor Pongsu, Perak, between Bandar Baharu and Bukit Merah Interchange was opened on 7 June 2016.


Fourth lane addition

In July 2010, the operator,
PLUS Expressways The PLUS Expressways Berhad () is the largest highway concessionaries or build–operate–transfer operator company in Malaysia. A member of the UEM Group, the company is also the largest listed toll expressway operator in Southeast Asia and t ...
, announced that the government had awarded contracts to build a fourth lane on a stretch from Rawang to Jalan Duta. The construction was completed in 2015. The Kilometre Zero of the entire expressway is located at the Malaysia-Thailand border.


Bukit Kayu Hitam to Sungai Dua, Butterworth

The expressway begins at the
Bukit Kayu Hitam Bukit Kayu Hitam is a small town in Kubang Pasu District, Kedah, Malaysia. It is situated near the Malaysia–Thailand border and the main and busiest road border crossing between Malaysia and Thailand is located here. On the Thai side of the bo ...
checkpoint in
Kedah Kedah (), also known by its honorific Darul Aman (Islam), Aman and historically as Queda, is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area ...
, where across the border in
Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
the road continues as
Phetkasem Road Phet Kasem Road (, , )ราชบัณฑิตยสถาน. ''อ่านอย่างไร และ เขียนอย่างไร ฉบับราชบัณฑิตยสถาน.'' พิมพ์ครั้งที่ ...
. The expressway proceeds southwards concurrently along the old Federal Route 1, which has not been upgraded and is still a
limited-access road A limited-access road, known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway, expressway, limited access freeway, and partial controlled access highway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which ...
. The first
grade-separated In civil engineering (more specifically highway engineering), grade separation is a method of aligning a junction of two or more surface transport axes at different heights (grades) so that they will not disrupt the traffic flow on other tran ...
interchange, which is with route 194, provides access to the northwestern state of
Perlis Perlis, ( Northern Malay: ''Peghelih''), also known by its honorific title Perlis Indera Kayangan, is the smallest state in Malaysia by area and population. Located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, it borders the Thai provinces o ...
. The route then enters the heart of the town of
Changlun Changlun also known as Changlon ( th, จังโหลน; ) is a small town in Kubang Pasu District, Kedah, Malaysia. The word ''changlun'' originates from Thai language, Thai, ''chang lon'' ( th, ช้างหล่น), which means "fall ...
, where it intersects with a few local roads with
traffic light Traffic lights, traffic signals, or stoplights – known also as robots in South Africa are signalling devices positioned at intersection (road), road intersections, pedestrian crossings, and other locations in order to control flows of traf ...
s. South from the town are several rural villages with residential roads intersecting with the expressway. Just to the north of the town of
Jitra Jitra ( zh, 日得拉) is a town and a mukim in Kubang Pasu District, in northern Kedah, Malaysia. It is the fourth-largest town in Kedah after Alor Setar, Sungai Petani and Kulim. History During World War II, when the Japanese attacked Mala ...
, route 1 continues southwards while the expressway bends southeast to bypass the said town, marking the end of the concurrency and the start of the
controlled-access highway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms i ...
proper. Just to the east of the town is the Jitra Toll Plaza, where a one-time payment is made. After the toll plaza the expressway continues southwest, entering the district of
Kota Setar The Kota Setar District is a district in Kedah, Malaysia where the state capital Alor Star is situated.http://apps.water.gov.my/jpskomuniti/dokumen/DEEP_KOTA%20SETAR_APRIL2011.pdf Name The name ''Kota Setar'' came from the setar or ‘Stak’ ...
and interchanging with route 1 near Kepala Batas. Shortly south is the Hutan Kampung Toll Plaza, where ticket tolling begins. The expressway runs east of the city of
Alor Setar Alor Setar ( Jawi: الور ستار, Kedahan: ''Loqstaq'') is the state capital of Kedah, Malaysia. It is the second-largest city in the state after Sungai Petani and one of the most-important cities on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia ...
, where it makes two interchanges with the Sultanah Bahiyah Highway (route 255), both leading to aforementioned city. Past the city, route 1 returns to run parallel to the expressway, both running southeasterly to enter the district of
Pendang The Pendang District is a town, a district and a parliamentary constituency in Kedah, Malaysia. The district is primarily covered with paddy fields with agriculture being its main economic activity. Pendang town is about 20 km from state ca ...
, where the expressway interchanges with a local route leading east to the town of the same name. Proceeding southeast, the expressway enters the Kuala Muda district. It interchanges once in Gurun, bends southwest, then interchanges twice again near Sungai Petani, once to the northeast of the town and once to the southeast. The expressway crosses the bridge over the
Muda River The Muda River ( ms, Sungai Muda) is the longest river in Kedah, Malaysia. Course Sourced in Ulu Muda Forest in Sik region in northeastern Kedah, along the border with Thailand, the river provides water supply to the states of Kedah and Penang. ...
, which marks the border between the states of Kedah and
Penang Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
. The expressway reaches the town of Bertam, where route 1 deviates westwards from parallelism with the expressway. Further southwest is the Sungai Dua Toll Plaza, where the ticket system ends and the toll-free section begins. The expressway interchanges south of the plaza, just to the west of Sungai Dua. This interchange marks one terminus of the Butterworth Outer Ring Road (expressway 17), which goes west towards Bagan Ajam. After this interchange the expressway widens to six lanes and the urban speed limit of 90 km/h applies. The expressway then crosses the
Perai River The Perai River ( ms, Sungai Perai; ; ta, பிறை நதி) is a major river in Penang, Malaysia. It also acts as the mother river of Butterworth, and it separates Perai and the Seberang Jaya suburb. See also * List of rivers of Malaysia ...
.


Butterworth and Bandar Baharu

From this point the expressway enters Seberang Perai Tengah, running southwesterly along the east side of
Butterworth Butterworth may refer to: Places * Butterworth (ancient township), a former township centred on Milnrow, in the then Parish of Rochdale, England, United Kingdom * Butterworth, Eastern Cape, now also known as Gcuwa, a town located in South Africa ...
, where it makes several important interchanges, including Jalan Permatang Pauh (route 3111) leading to
Permatang Pauh Permatang Pauh is a town in Central Seberang Perai District, Penang, Malaysia. There are two institutions of higher learning located in Permatang Pauh, namely a campus of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) and Politeknik Seberang Perai at Bandar P ...
, the Butterworth–Kulim Expressway (expressway 15) towards
Kulim The Kulim District is a district and town in the state of Kedah, Malaysia. It is located on the southeast of Kedah, bordering Penang. The town of Kulim, a mere east of Penang's capital city, George Town, also forms part of Greater Penang, Ma ...
and
Gerik Gerik ( Jawi: ڬريق; ; Tamil: கிரிக் ; alternate spelling: Grik) is a mukim and the district capital of Hulu Perak District, Perak, Malaysia. The town is also known as Rest Town owing to its strategic location next to East-West ...
in Kedah, expressway 17 and route 1 in
Perai Perai is an urban settlement in the city of Seberang Perai, Penang, Malaysia. It lies at the southern bank of the Perai River and borders Butterworth to the north. Perai gave its name to the city of Seberang Perai, the mainland half of the State o ...
(this is where the other end of E17 is located) as well as the Penang Bridge (expressway 36) towards the
island An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island ...
and
capital Capital may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** List of national capital cities * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences * Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used f ...
. Here the expressway bends southeast away from the coast, going towards and interchanging at the Perai Industrial Area and Juru. After Juru, the road narrows back to four lanes, followed by the Juru Toll Plaza, where the second ticket system begins. The expressway then enters
Seberang Perai Selatan The South Seberang Perai District ( ms, Daerah Seberang Perai Selatan; abbreviated "SPS") is a district in Penang, Malaysia. It covers an area of 242 square kilometres, and had a population of 162,905 at the 2010 Census. The district is bordered ...
. The expressway interchanges with route 149 at
Bukit Tambun Bukit Tambun is a town, a suburb of Simpang Ampat in Penang, Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states ...
, connecting several industrial areas nearby. Close by at
Batu Kawan Batu Kawan ( Jawi: باتو كاون) is an island in the city of Seberang Perai, Penang, Malaysia. It is geographically separated from the rest of Seberang Perai by the Jawi and Tengah rivers. , Batu Kawan contained a population of 5,537. Long ...
, the Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah Bridge (expressway 28) terminates on this expressway, connecting
Bandar Cassia Bandar Cassia or Cassia City is a township in South Seberang Perai District, Penang, Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Mal ...
as well as the southwest district on the island. The last interchange in Penang is with route 1 at Jawi. The expressway then briefly re-enters the state of Kedah to interchange at
Bandar Baharu The Bandar Baharu District (colloquially ''Bandaq Baqhu'' or ''Bandaq Baru''; once proposed to be renamed as Bandar Crustacea) is a town, district and state assembly constituency at the southernmost end of Kedah, Malaysia. Bandar Baharu is locat ...
, serving itself,
Parit Buntar Parit Buntar ( Jawi: ڤاريت بونتر) is a town in Kerian District, Perak, Malaysia. It is bordering to Nibong Tebal in Penang and Bandar Baharu in Kedah.It is also the district capital of Kerian District. This district is known as t ...
just across the border at
Perak Perak () is a state of Malaysia on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. Perak has land borders with the Malaysian states of Kedah to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, and Selangor to the south. Thailand's ...
, as well as the rest of southernmost Kedah.


Alor Pongsu to Ipoh

Across the
Kerian River The Kerian River ( ms, Sungai Kerian), alternately ''Krian'', is a river in the northern part of the Malaysian state of Perak. The river originates from the Bintang Range. It flows westerly and discharges into the Strait of Malacca. The main tr ...
is the
Kerian The Kerian District (alternately Krian) is an administrative district in Perak, Malaysia. It covers the northwestern corner of Perak, bordering the states of Penang and Kedah to the north; the main town of Parit Buntar is located a mere southeast ...
district in Perak, where a new interchange with route 147 at
Alor Pongsu Alor Pongsu ( Jawi: الور ڤوڠسو; ) is a small town in Kerian District, Perak, Malaysia. This small town is located 8 kilometres from Bagan Serai Bagan Serai ( Jawi: باݢن سراي) is a mukim in Kerian District, Perak, Malaysia. I ...
is being constructed. The expressway then briefly winds eastwards, then southwards, to meet
Bukit Merah Bukit Merah, also known as Redhill, is a planning area and new town situated in the southernmost part of the Central Region of Singapore. the planning area borders Tanglin to the north, Queenstown to the west and the Downtown Core, Outram an ...
. The expressway continues directly southwards into Larut, Matang dan Selama, interchanging again with route 1 as well as 3146 to the northwest of
Taiping __NOTOC__ Taiping, Tai-p’ing, or Tai Ping most often refers to: Chinese history * Princess Taiping (died 713), Tang dynasty princess * Taiping Rebellion (1850–1864), civil war in southern China ** Taiping Heavenly Kingdom (1851–1864), the re ...
. Gently, the expressway winds southeast towards
Changkat Jering Changkat Jering ( Jawi: چڠكت جريڠ; ) is a small town in Larut, Matang and Selama District, Perak, Malaysia. It connects Taiping to the North–South Expressway via the southern exit. Changkat Jering is famed for its big weekly evening m ...
, where it interchanges with route 60. From here, the expressway heads east through a
cutting Cutting is the separation or opening of a physical object, into two or more portions, through the application of an acutely directed force. Implements commonly used for wikt:cut, cutting are the knife and saw, or in medicine and science the scal ...
where the expressway and route 1 briefly run side by side. The route continues towards the district and town of
Kuala Kangsar The Kuala Kangsar (Perak Malay: ''Kole Kangso'') is the royal town of Perak, Malaysia. It is located at the downstream of Kangsar River where it joins the Perak River, approximately northwest of Ipoh, Perak's capital, and southeast of ...
, interchanging at the terminus of route 76, which plies the rural areas of central northern Perak. At this point route 1 deviates northwards to go around a hill that is part of the
Tenasserim Hills The Tenasserim Hills or Tenasserim Range ( my, တနင်္သာရီ တောင်တန်း, ; th, ทิวเขาตะนาวศรี, , ; ms, Banjaran Tanah Seri/Banjaran Tenang Sari) is the geographical name of a r ...
cluster. The expressway proceeds towards the hill, going across the
Perak River The Perak River ( ms, Sungai Perak; ) is the second longest river in Peninsular Malaysia after Pahang River in Pahang, Malaysia. A number of towns are on the banks of the river including the royal town of Kuala Kangsar. Most of the settlements in ...
below the Sultan Azlan Shah Bridge. After the river the expressway goes uphill, through the Menora Tunnel that is about long, then downhill into the
Kinta Valley The Kinta Valley is a conurbation in central Perak, Malaysia, surrounding and including the state capital Ipoh. Historically the Kinta Valley was very rich in tin, and their mines have been among the most productive in the world. The valley is ...
. Here, the
Ipoh , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Ipoh in Perak , pushpin_map = #Malaysia#Asia#Earth , pushpin_mapsize = 275px , pushpin_map_caption = Ipoh in Malaysia , coordinates ...
local-express system, constructed in 2008, begins, where all traffic bound for Ipoh or its vicinity is segregated. Southbound commuters entering the local lanes pay the toll/tap out of the ticket system at the Ipoh North Toll Plaza, while northbound motorists merging in from the local lanes collect the ticket/tap into the system. Proceeding southeast through the heart of Ipoh, the expressway's local lanes interchange with several local roads as well as route 1, which begins to run parallel to the expressway again. The system ends to the south of Tambun, where commuters on the southbound local lanes collect their tickets or tap into the system at the Ipoh South Toll Plaza, while northbound motorists entering the local lanes pay their tolls.


Simpang Pulai to Bukit Lanjan

Leaving the city, the expressway bends southwest to close the gap between the two parallel routes, effectively interchanging with the route at
Simpang Pulai Simpang Pulai ( Jawi: سيمڤڠ ڤولاي; ; Tamil: சிம்பாங் புலாய்) is a town in Kinta District, Perak, Malaysia. Transportation Car As mentioned earlier, highway Federal Route 1, the premier north–south fed ...
. Bending back southeast the expressway interchanges again with route 1 at the town of
Gopeng Gopeng is a town located in Mukim Teja, Kampar District, Perak, Malaysia. It is situated approximately south of Ipoh, the state capital. History Gopeng was the most important town in the Kinta Valley until 1890, when Ipoh became more prominen ...
after crossing into the Kampar district. The expressway then cuts through another hill, passing by
Gua Tempurung Tempurung Cave ( ms, Gua Tempurung) is a cave in Gopeng, Kampar District, Perak, Malaysia, located within the Kinta Valley Geopark. It is popular among spelunkers, or caving enthusiasts. More than 3 km long, it is one of the longest caves in Pe ...
(a cave). The cutting ends in the
Batang Padang The Batang Padang District ( ms, Daerah Batang Padang) is a district in Perak, Malaysia. This district is administered by a local council, namely, the Tapah District Council, based in Tapah. The major towns of Batang Padang are Bidor, Tapah and ...
district just before the next interchange at
Tapah Tapah is a town and the capital of Batang Padang District, Perak, Malaysia. Name The name "Tapah" is said to be originated from the name of a freshwater fish, ''"Ikan Tapah"''. The scientific name of the fish is '' Wallago leeri''. The loc ...
with route 59, which connects directly to
Cameron Highlands The Cameron Highlands ( ms, Tanah Tinggi Cameron, , ta, கேமரன் மலை) is a district in Pahang, Malaysia, occupying an area of . To the north, its boundary touches that of Kelantan; to the west, it shares part of its border with ...
. Heading southwards, the expressway interchanges with a local road at
Bidor Bidor (Chinese: 美羅) is a town and mukim in Batang Padang District, southern Perak, Malaysia. Geography Bidor is located 59 km southeast from state capital Ipoh and 116 km northwest of Kuala Lumpur. It is south of Tapah, north of ...
. Further south within the same district, the expressway interchanges with route 1 thrice – at Sungkai,
Slim River Slim River ( Jawi: سليم ريۏر; zh, 仕林河; Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils **Tamil Mal ...
and
Behrang Behrang Stesen ( Jawi: بيهراڠ ستيسين; ) is a small town in Muallim District, Perak, Malaysia. It is situated within the parliamentary constituency of Tanjung Malim Tanjung Malim, or Tanjong Malim, is a town in Muallim District, ...
. While going southeast, the expressway crosses the
Bernam River The Bernam River ( ms, Sungai Bernam) is located between the Malaysian states of Perak and Selangor, demarcating the border of the two states. The Bernam River flows from Mount Liang Timur (Mount Liang East) in the east on the Titiwangsa Mountai ...
into the state of
Selangor Selangor (; ), also known by its Arabic language, Arabic honorific Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity", is one of the 13 Malaysian states. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east ...
. Despite this, the next interchange, the final one with route 1, mainly serves
Tanjung Malim Tanjung Malim, or Tanjong Malim, is a town in Muallim District, Perak, Malaysia. It is approximately north of Kuala Lumpur and 120 km south of Ipoh via the North–South Expressway. It lies on the Perak-Selangor state border, with Sun ...
over in the previous state. From this point, route 1 leaves the vicinity of the expressway as the expressway goes southwards and the federal route goes southeast. The expressway interchanges with several rural roads at Lembah Beringin, Bukit Tagar, the
Bukit Beruntung Bukit Beruntung is a township in Hulu Selangor District, Selangor, Malaysia. It is roughly halfway between Serendah and Batang Kali. This township, along with the neighboring Bukit Sentosa, was originally developed by Talam Corporation Berhad an ...
industrial area and at Sungai Buaya. Going southwards, the expressway leaves the
Hulu Selangor Hulu Selangor is a district in Selangor, Malaysia. It contains the towns of Serendah, Batang Kali and Kuala Kubu Bharu. Its principal town is Kuala Kubu Bharu. The district is located in the northeastern part of Selangor and borders the state ...
district into the
Gombak The Gombak District is an administrative district located in the state of Selangor, Malaysia. The district was created on February 1, 1974, the same day when Kuala Lumpur was declared a Federal Territory. Until 1997, Rawang was the district capi ...
district, where it interchanges near the Rawang industrial area with route 3209. Shortly after, the Guthrie Corridor Expressway (expressway 35) begins as an interchange on this expressway. On the last segment, the expressway interchanges with a road next to the Sungai Buloh Hospital, crosses into the
Petaling The Petaling District is a district located in the heart of Selangor in Malaysia. Petaling is not to be confused with the city of Petaling Jaya located in it, nor the ''mukim'' of Petaling under Petaling Jaya City. The district office is located ...
district, interchanges with the Sungai Buloh Highway (route 54) at
Sungai Buloh Sungai Buloh, or Sungei Buloh, is a town, a mukim (commune) and a parliamentary constituency in the northern part of Petaling District, Selangor, Malaysia. The name itself means ''bamboo river'' in the Malay language. It is located 16 km ...
, and finally terminates at its interchange with the
New Klang Valley Expressway The New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE), designated E1, is a controlled-access highway located entirely within the Klang Valley region of Selangor and Kuala Lumpur in Peninsular Malaysia. The expressway begins at the settlement of Bukit Raja near ...
(which is also designated the route number E1) near
Segambut Segambut is a sub-district and a parliamentary constituency in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. From the high-end condominiums of Mont Kiara and Sri Hartamas to the middle-class areas of Taman Sri Segambut and Bandar Manjalara, and the rural areas ...
in the north-western part of the Federal Territory
Kuala Lumpur , anthem = '' Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , su ...
.


Restricted routes for heavy vehicles

As the route joins with the
New Klang Valley Expressway The New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE), designated E1, is a controlled-access highway located entirely within the Klang Valley region of Selangor and Kuala Lumpur in Peninsular Malaysia. The expressway begins at the settlement of Bukit Raja near ...
, a restricted route has been implemented on the North–South Expressway Northern Route between Sungai Buloh and Bukit Lanjan during workdays or peak hours. Heavy vehicles (except buses and tankers) with laden and unladen heavy vehicles weighing 10,000 kg or more are not allowed to enter the expressway between 6:30 am until 9:30 am on Monday to Friday (except public holidays). A compound fine will be issued to heavy vehicles which flout the rule.


Speed limits

Most of the expressway enforces a maximum speed limit of . Signed exceptions include: * when approaching any toll plaza * on the route 1 concurrency (from Bukit Kayu Hitam to Jitra North) due to the presence of at-grade intersections * on the Penang toll-free section (from Sungai Dua to Juru) due to heavy urban traffic * between Kuala Kangsar and Jelapang where the expressway goes uphill, through a tunnel and then downhill * on express lanes and on local lanes in the Ipoh local-express system; and * on the stretch passing through Gua Tempurung, between Gopeng and Tapah. There are no signed minimum speed limits.


Tolls

Most of the expressway maintains a
ticket system A ticket system, also known as a closed toll collection system, is a system used on some toll roads in which a user pays a toll rate based on the distance traveled from their originating entrance to their destination exit. The correct toll is de ...
(closed system) of tolling. The expressway however also has two
toll plaza A toll road, also known as a turnpike or tollway, is a public or private road (almost always a controlled-access highway in the present day) for which a fee (or ''toll'') is assessed for passage. It is a form of road pricing typically implemented ...
s using the
barrier toll system A barrier toll system (also known as an open toll system) is a method of collecting tolls on highways using toll barriers at regularly spaced intervals on the toll road's mainline. Motorists are typically charged a flat-rate toll, unlike toll roa ...
(open system) at the
Bukit Kayu Hitam Bukit Kayu Hitam is a small town in Kubang Pasu District, Kedah, Malaysia. It is situated near the Malaysia–Thailand border and the main and busiest road border crossing between Malaysia and Thailand is located here. On the Thai side of the bo ...
checkpoint (demolished and takeover by JKR Kedah) and at
Jitra Jitra ( zh, 日得拉) is a town and a mukim in Kubang Pasu District, in northern Kedah, Malaysia. It is the fourth-largest town in Kedah after Alor Setar, Sungai Petani and Kulim. History During World War II, when the Japanese attacked Mala ...
. The ticket system from Juru southwards uses an integrated system of tolling that also applies to the
New Klang Valley Expressway The New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE), designated E1, is a controlled-access highway located entirely within the Klang Valley region of Selangor and Kuala Lumpur in Peninsular Malaysia. The expressway begins at the settlement of Bukit Raja near ...
,
North–South Expressway Central Link The North–South Expressway Central Link also known as ELITE, is a controlled-access highway in Malaysia, running between Shah Alam in Selangor and Nilai in Negeri Sembilan. The expressway joins the separated northern and southern sections of ...
and
North–South Expressway Southern Route The North–South Expressway Southern Route is an interstate controlled-access highway running parallel to the southwestern coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The expressway forms the south section of the North–South Expressway, connecting the sta ...
; it is possible to travel from Juru on this expressway to
Skudai Skudai (also spelled Sekudai) is a suburb in Iskandar Puteri, Johor Bahru District, Johor, Malaysia. Skudai is part of the new growth corridor of southwest Johor. Its population ranges between 160,000 and 210,000. It houses the Paradigm Mall Johor ...
,
Johor Johor (; ), also spelled as Johore, is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia in the south of the Malay Peninsula. Johor has land borders with the Malaysian states of Pahang to the north and Malacca and Negeri Sembilan ...
on the North–South Expressway Southern Route without leaving the toll system. A separate ticket system is in place between Hutan Kampung and Sungai Dua, due to the toll-free section in
Penang Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
. The toll rate for the ticket system for passenger cars excluding taxis as of 2011 is 13.6 sen per kilometre. On 1 January 2018, Toll collection at Bukit Kayu Hitam has demolished.


Toll rates


Jitra Toll Plazas


Hutan Kampung-Sungai Dua Toll Plazas


Juru-Sungai Buloh Toll Plazas


Services


Emergency assistance and information services

Orange
emergency telephone An emergency telephone is a telephone, phone specifically provided for making calls to emergency services and is most often found in a place of special danger or where it is likely that there will be a need to make emergency calls. It is also so ...
s/
callbox A call box or callbox is a (usually metal) box containing a special-purpose direct line telephone or other telecommunications device which has been used by various industries and institutions as a way for employees or clients at a remote loca ...
es are located every two kilometres along the entire expressway, as with every other expressway in the PLUS expressway network. Alternatively, commuters may dial the toll-free number 1 800 88 0000 on their mobile phones. Both will connect to the PLUS traffic monitoring centre in Subang where commuters may request for traffic information or roadside assistance. The highway
patrol A patrol is commonly a group of personnel, such as Law enforcement officer, law enforcement officers, military personnel, or Security guard, security personnel, that are assigned to monitor or secure a specific geographic area. Etymology Fro ...
and
roadside assistance Roadside assistance, also known as breakdown coverage, is a service that assists motorists, motorcyclists, or bicyclists whose vehicles have suffered a mechanical failure that either cannot be resolved by the motorist, or has prevented them from ...
teams are known as ''PLUSRonda''. They provide free
first responder A first responder is a person with specialized training who is among the first to arrive and provide assistance or incident resolution at the scene of an emergency, such as an accident, disaster, medical emergency, structure fire, crime, or terr ...
services including small fixes for broken down vehicles, towing and also act as traffic police when there is an incident. They are also given
auxiliary police Auxiliary police, also called special police, are usually the part-time reserves of a regular police force. They may be armed or unarmed. They may be unpaid volunteers or paid members of the police service with which they are affiliated. The po ...
powers. PLUS also provides traffic information to commuters through
variable-message sign A variable- (also changeable-, electronic-, or dynamic-) message sign, often abbreviated VMS, CMS, or DMS, and in the UK known as a matrix sign, is an electronic traffic sign often used on roadways to give travelers information about special ...
s located on some sections of the expressway, and on
Twitter Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
@plustrafik in
Malay Malay may refer to: Languages * Malay language or Bahasa Melayu, a major Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore ** History of the Malay language, the Malay language from the 4th to the 14th century ** Indonesi ...
. Major radio stations in
Peninsular Malaysia Peninsular Malaysia ( ms, Semenanjung Malaysia; Jawi: سمننجڠ مليسيا), or the States of Malaya ( ms, Negeri-negeri Tanah Melayu; Jawi: نڬري-نڬري تانه ملايو), also known as West Malaysia or the Malaysian Peninsula, ...
also broadcast traffic updates for the expressway.


Rest areas

The North–South Expressway northern route has 12 full
rest area A rest area is a public facility located next to a large thoroughfare such as a motorway, expressway, or highway, at which drivers and passengers can rest, eat, or refuel without exiting onto secondary roads. Other names include motorway servi ...
s (which includes one overhead bridge restaurant), 23
layby A rest area is a public facility located next to a large thoroughfare such as a motorway, expressway, or highway, at which drivers and passengers can rest, eat, or refuel without exiting onto secondary roads. Other names include motorway serv ...
s and one vista point (scenic area) total along both directions of the expressway. Every rest area and layby includes, as a bare minimum,
car park A parking lot (American English) or car park (British English), also known as a car lot, is a cleared area intended for parking vehicles. The term usually refers to an area dedicated only for parking, with a durable or semi-durable surfac ...
s and
public toilet A public toilet, restroom, public bathroom or washroom is a room or small building with toilets (or urinals) and sinks for use by the general public. The facilities are available to customers, travelers, employees of a business, school pupils ...
s. Most laybys also include public telephones and a small rest hut. Depending on location, laybys can also include
petrol stations A filling station, also known as a gas station () or petrol station (), is a facility that sells fuel and engine lubricants for motor vehicles. The most common fuels sold in the 2010s were gasoline (or petrol) and diesel fuel. Gaso ...
, a
surau A surau is an Islamic assembly building in some regions of Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula used for worship and religious instruction. Generally smaller physical structures, its ritual functions are similar to a mosque, allow men and women, an ...
, and rarely,
food court A food court (in Asia-Pacific also called food hall or hawker centre) is generally an indoor plaza or common area within a facility that is contiguous with the counters of multiple food vendors and provides a common area for self-serve dinner. I ...
s, independently operated
restaurant A restaurant is a business that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services. Restaurants vary greatly in appearan ...
s as well as
automated teller machine An automated teller machine (ATM) or cash machine (in British English) is an electronic telecommunications device that enables customers of financial institutions to perform financial transactions, such as cash withdrawals, deposits, fun ...
s. Full rest and service areas have all of the above services and are much larger, so they can accommodate more services. Several rest areas also have small
inn Inns are generally establishments or buildings where travelers can seek lodging, and usually, food and drink. Inns are typically located in the country or along a highway; before the advent of motorized transportation they also provided accommo ...
s, and most have complimentary
Wi-Fi Wi-Fi () is a family of wireless network protocols, based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, which are commonly used for local area networking of devices and Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by radio wave ...
services. Vista points only have
car parks A parking lot (American English) or car park (British English), also known as a car lot, is a cleared area intended for parking vehicles. The term usually refers to an area dedicated only for parking, with a durable or semi-durable surfac ...
and is meant for commuters to enjoy the scenery at that location. Laybys are found every 25 to 50 kilometres, while full rest areas are found every 80 to 100 kilometres. The only vista point on this expressway is in Ipoh.


History

The North–South Expressway northern route, being part of the larger North–South Expressway network, was constructed in phases simultaneously with the south section. The first segment on this expressway, from Bukit Kayu Hitam to Jitra, was opened on 1 April 1985, originally as part of Federal Route 1. The first
controlled-access highway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms i ...
segment, from Ipoh to Changkat Jering, was opened by the then
Sultan of Perak The Sultan of Perak (سلطان ڤيراق) is one of the oldest hereditary seats among the Malay states. When the Sultanate of Malacca empire fell to Portugal in 1511, Sultan Mahmud Syah I retreated to Kampar, Sumatra, and died there in ...
, Azlan Shah on 28 September 1987. The expressway was completed on 5 February 1994 with the opening of the last segment from Juru to Changkat Jering and the opening ceremony for both this expressway and the south section was held on 8 September 1994. The order of construction came under criticism by observers because sections with low traffic were constructed first, while sections with heavy traffic were constructed last.


Events

Full Electronic Toll Collection in 72 toll plaza from Skudai to Juru on 26 April 2017.


Junction list


Toll-free local-express lanes section (Ipoh North – Ipoh South)


References


External links


PLUS Expressway Berhad

PLUS

Malaysian Highway Authority
{{DEFAULTSORT:North-South Expressway Northern Route Expressways in Malaysia North–South Expressway (Malaysia)