North–South Expressway (Malaysia)
Combined name for two major interstate expressways in Malaysia / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The North–South Expressway is a network of tolled controlled-access highways running through the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The expressway network consists of the northern route and southern route, having a total length of 772 kilometres (480 miles). Running through seven states and connecting the Thailand and Singapore borders, the North–South Expressway is an important thoroughfare for local, interstate and international traffic. The expressway is part of route AH2, a designation of the Asian Highway Network.[3]
Expressway 1 and 2 | |
---|---|
Lebuhraya Utara–Selatan | |
North–South Expressway | |
Route information | |
Part of AH2 | |
Maintained by PLUS Expressways | |
Length | 772 km (480 mi) North–South Expressway Northern Route Northern route: 460 km (286 mi) North–South Expressway Southern Route Southern route: 312 km (194 mi) |
Existed | 1981[1]–present |
History | Completed in 1994[2] |
Component highways | |
Major junctions | |
North end | Bukit Kayu Hitam, Kedah |
Major intersections | See individual expressway articles for details |
South end | Johor Bahru, Johor |
Location | |
Country | Malaysia |
Major cities | Alor Setar, Seberang Perai, Ipoh, Greater Kuala Lumpur, Seremban, Johor Bahru |
Highway system | |
The expressways were first conceived in 1977 due to increasing congestion on federal route 1, which was the main north–south thoroughfare at the time. However, economic uncertainties and the high cost meant that construction did not begin until 1981. The expressway began opening in stages from 1982, but the economic downturn at the time meant that construction had stalled and the work had to be fully privatised. The expressways were finally completed in 1994, with the tolls collected from the operational sections funding the remainder of the construction work.