SUKE opening soon – 24.4 km elevated highway; Sri Petaling-Ulu Kelang; less traffic on MRR2, Jln Ampang

Measuring 24.4 km in length from Sri Petaling to Ulu Kelang, the Sungai Besi-Ulu Kelang Elevated Expressway (SUKE) represents the next generation of Malaysia’s expressways when it is launched soon.

Set to be an iconic elevated highway in Malaysia when completed, the expressway features a 56.4-metre-tall segmental box girder bridge – the highest superstructure ever built in the Klang Valley. The elevated bridge, which spans the Sungai Buloh-Kajang MRT Line and the Cheras-Kajang Expressway (Grand Saga), has already earned a place in the Malaysia Book of Records.

That’s not the only record awarded to SUKE, as the other is the country’s first helicoidal (spiralled) ramp located near the Cheras-Kajang interchange. The unique section of the expressway also received the Malaysian Highway Authority’s (LLM) Dynamic Highway Design recognition.

With these features, motorists will be able to enjoy a memorable driving experience while using SUKE, but there’s also something for architecture fans. Another unique feature of SUKE, which has 90% of its route elevated, is the bifurcated (split) structure design that allows sunlight to penetrate through to the Ampang River, with a linear park located under the highway structure that has a 1.6-km walking/jogging trail.

Of course, the main purpose of a highway is to promote connectivity, and SUKE delivers as there are 14 dedicated interchanges along its route at Sri Petaling, Sungai Besi, Alam Damai, Cheras-Kajang, Cheras-Hartamas, Bukit Teratai, Tasik Tambahan, Permai, Kosas, Pekan Ampang, Ampang Point, Ulu Kelang, Hillview and Bukit Antarabangsa.

SUKE also connects to a ring of existing networked highways, running parallel to the Shah Alam Expressway (KESAS) and Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2). The expressway is also linked to the Kuala Lumpur-Seremban Highway (KL-Seremban), Sungai Besi Expressway (BESRAYA), Grand Saga, Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway (AKLEH) and Duta-Ulu Kelang Expressway (DUKE).

Besides providing motorists with greater travelling alternatives, SUKE will also help reduce congestion along MRR2 by 30%, Jalan Ampang by 36% and Jalan Loke Yew by 12% during peak hours. This is thanks to its three-lane dual carriageway design, with each lane measuring 3.5 metres wide to handle the large volume of vehicles expected.

Other features of SUKE are two lay-by areas, a single rest and service (R&S) area at Tasik Tambahan as well as three toll plazas, which includes the tallest multi-tier toll plaza complex in the country. This will be located on a double-deck structure at Alam Damai, with other toll plazas being at Bukit Teratai and Ampang. With more motorists switching to electric vehicles (EVs) in Malaysia, SUKE also features six EV charging stations along its route to support users of zero-emission vehicles.

“Completion and the opening of SUKE will have a profound impact on efforts to alleviate congestion and improve traffic flow, particularly in the eastern part of Kuala Lumpur,” said Projek Lintasan Kota Holdings (PROLINTAS) group CEO Datuk Mohammad Azlan Abdullah.

“It will provide motorists with greater travelling alternatives, seamless connectivity and better accessibility especially at the 14 dedicated interchanges along the SUKE route,” he added. PROLINTAS’ subsidiary, Projek Lintasan Sungai Besi Ulu Klang, is responsible for building SUKE, with construction of the RM7.5 billion project beginning in 2016.

Safety is another important consideration of the expressway, and the route will feature a three-metre-wide emergency lane in addition to the three regular lanes. There will also 40 CCTV units along the route, with each being installed on an integrated pole that houses the CCTV system, an emergency telephone and a vehicle detection sensor – this makes up part of the traffic control and surveillance system.

To minimise the expressway’s impact on the environment and promote sustainability, SUKE is built and certified with the Green Building Index (GBI) green rating system. Besides solar panels, the expressway has a rainwater harvesting system and low e-glass panels to minimise the amount of infrared and ultraviolet light from entering its multi-tier Alam Damai toll plaza.