The Star Online, 11 April 2005
New RM1.16bil expressway project to start next month
KUALA LUMPUR: After being familiar with such names as NKVE, SPRINT and MRR2, motorists in the Klang Valley will have another expressway.
The planned Duta-Ulu Klang Expressway, DUKE in short, will be the “missing link” in the traffic dispersal masterplan of this metropolis of 4.5 million people, who make an estimated 2.1 million vehicle trips daily.
The concession of the 18km expressway, estimated to cost RM1.16bil, has been awarded to Konsortium Lebuhraya Utara Timur (KL) Sdn Bhd (Kesturi) and is due to begin next month.
It is scheduled to be completed in three years, project director Chua Soo Kok said here yesterday.
Chua added that the expressway would begin from the NKVE in Jalan Duta and end at the MRR2 in Jalan Ulu Kelang.
Along the way it will cross Jalan Segambut, Jalan Kuching, Jalan Ipoh, Jalan Sentul, Jalan Pahang, Jalan Air Jerneh (Setapak), Jalan Semarak and Jalan Setiawangsa.
Kesturi signed the 34-year concession with the Government in August last year. It is a joint venture between Wira Kristal Sdn Bhd and Malaysian Resources Corporation Bhd (MRCB).
The expressway, with seven elevated interchanges, will have three toll plazas but the good news for motorists is that 46% of the route will be toll-free.
Some 30% of DUKE will be elevated expressway built on 20% private land and the rest government land.
Chua said the project is like killing two birds with one stone.
“Besides filling the 'missing link' that is a vital east-west route for the northern Kuala Lumpur region to allow traffic to bypass the city centre, it will resettle some 1,000 squatter families along the way.”
He said the relocation of the squatters was due to start this month and go on until June and Kesturi would pay compensation to them for moving into three-room Kuala Kumpur City Hall flats all over the city. – Bernama
With the anticipated increase of new activity nodes within Sentul West and Sentul East, the existing road infrastructure and facilities is being gradually upgraded to accommodate future needs. Plans to increase accessibility and connectivity to and from Sentul are:
Due for completion by August 2005
The new enhanced accessibility link beginning from the Taman Duta junction at the Indian High Commission and ending at Jalan Ipoh, is to especially ease the traffic flow at the Jalan Segambut-Jalan Duta roundabout.
Due for completion by first quarter 2008
The Duta-Ulu Klang Expressway (DUKE) which will be constructed in the north of Sentul provides immediate links to the SPRINT, Federal, North-South and Karak highways, providing direct links to Penang, Johor Bahru, Kuantan and other major cities. The attached press clipping bears more information.
Due for completion by June 2006
The Sentul Link, which will create a new gateway to Jalan Sentul and Jalan Ipoh by connecting Jalan Mahameru at the intersection of Jalan Kuching. This helps to alleviate existing traffic congestion at the Jalan Mahameru-Jalan Ipoh, Putra World Trade Centre intersection.