Persiaran Mokhtar Dahari,
or Shah Alam–Batu Arang Highway or Puncak Alam Highway and Jalan Batu Arang (Selangor state route B49), is a major highway in
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 ...
,
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
.
Overview
The Shah Alam–Batu Arang Highway runs for 17.2 kilometers into the north-western direction from
Jalan Subang–Batu Tiga (also known as Jalan Sungai Buloh-
Guthrie Corridor Expressway
Guthrie Corridor Expressway, GCE, ( Malay: ''Lebuhraya Koridor Guthrie'') is an expressway in Klang Valley, Selangor, Malaysia. It connects Shah Alam to Rawang. GCE is approximately ( long on the Prolintas sections and on the PLUS Expressway ...
interchange) (Federal Route 3214) towards Jalan Meru Tambahan.
The midsection of this stretch at the 8th kilometre connects to Jalan Paip which allows a shorter route to the town of
Meru
Meru may refer to:
Geography Kenya
* Meru, Kenya, a city in Meru County, Kenya
** Meru County, created by the merger of
*** Meru Central District
*** Meru North District
*** Meru South District
* Meru National Park, a Kenyan wildlife park
T ...
and
Klang. The opposite end of this midsection intersection would reveal an access road leading to the entrance of the Subang Lake Dam, a major water catchment/reservoir for Subang and the surrounding vicinity. This particular access road is also the location of a high-profile case involving the murder of a Mongolian model
Altantuya Shariibuu.
Starting as a common two-way traffic trunk road, its condition had since been improved with the addition of more lighting, overtaking lanes and extra road shoulders to cater for slower traffic and motorcyclists. Travellers will find that this particular road cuts through terrain that pass over undulating hill crests and green areas that used to be a forest reserve of
Bukit Cherakah
Bukit Cherakah ( ms, Bukit Cerakah) is a hill in Kuala Selangor District, Selangor, Malaysia with the height of . It is one of three prominent peaks along the coast of Selangor. Bukit Cherakah gives its name to a forest reserve which includes the ...
. Drivers could see warning sign erected cautioning traffic of crossing tapirs (tenuk) that once lived in the forest areas. Similar precaution should also be exercised to give way to macaques (monkeys) that commonly scavenge along, and cross this particular road. Road accidents involving these precious wildlife had previously been reported, despite precautionary measures and relocation activities by the authorities.
Motorists should expect heavy traffic volume or bumper to bumper congestion heading towards Guthrie Corridor Expressway from 6.00 a.m. up to 9.00 a.m on workdays, and similar traffic pattern towards Puncak Alam beginning from 4.30 p.m up to 8.00 p.m. The traffic flow would be adversely affected by a mere drizzle of the rain, vehicle breakdown, or any type of traffic accident.
Route background
The Kilometre Zero of the highway starts at Subang-Bukit Jelutong junctions.
History
The Shah Alam–Batu Arang Highway was built by a joint venture between Oxford Alliance Sdn. Bhd. and the Selangor state government to cater for the needs of a better access to the new township of
Puncak Alam
Puncak Alam is a township in Kuala Selangor District, Selangor, Malaysia.
Background
Previously developed from a palm estate holding of Felda (Federal Land Development Authority) within the locale of Bukit Cherakah, this township started its init ...
. However, the construction of the second phase of the road was delayed for two years due to the effect of the
1997 Asian financial crisis
The Asian financial crisis was a period of financial crisis that gripped much of East Asia and Southeast Asia beginning in July 1997 and raised fears of a worldwide economic meltdown due to financial contagion. However, the recovery in 1998–1 ...
before being resumed in 1999. The highway was opened to motorists on 28 February 2003.
On 2014, the highway was renamed as Persiaran Mokhtar Dahari in honour of legendary
Malaysian
Malaysian may refer to:
* Something from or related to Malaysia, a country in Southeast Asia
* Malaysian Malay, a dialect of Malay language spoken mainly in Malaysia
* Malaysian people, people who are identified with the country of Malaysia regard ...
footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby le ...
Mokhtar Dahari
Dato' Mohd Mokhtar bin Dahari (13 November 1953 – 11 July 1991) was a Malaysian football player from Setapak, Kuala Lumpur, he played for F.A. Selangor for most of his life. He is considered a legendary footballer in Malaysian football hi ...
.
Features
Unique features and place of interest
One stretch of this road cuts across a lake within the vicinity of
Puncak Perdana
Puncak Perdana is a main township in the northern part of Shah Alam municipal area in Selangor, Malaysia. It is located halfway between Meru and the Subang Airport
Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport ( ms, Lapangan Terbang Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah), ...
, virtually cutting the lake into two sections by the road landfill. This scenic spot is frequently visited by anglers due to its easy accessibility.
The green areas leading to and around the Subang Lake Dam, and also other roadside tracks along this highway also appears to be a popular trekking and mountain biking spot.
At most sections, the Federal Route B49 was built under the JKR R5 road standard, allowing maximum speed limit of up to 90 km/h.
List of junctions
References
{{Reflist
External links
Google map of Puncak Alam Highway
Highways in Malaysia
Roads in Selangor