SUKE Expressway Phase 2 opening next week – Kesas/Sri Petaling/Bukit Jalil to Cheras-Kajang; we tried it!
It is official. We just finished the media preview and can let you know that Phase 2 of Sungai Besi-Ulu Kelang Overhead Expressway (SUKE) It will be officially released next week. Phase 2 connects Sri Petaling and Bukit Jalil (entrance is on Kesas Highway, where the Endah Parade is located) to the Cheras-Kajang interchange, near Plaza Phoenix. With this, the MRR2 alternative is now complete. Well, 99.5% done, but more on that later.
Stage 1 of SUKE is Open to traffic in September 2022. The first phase spans 16.6 km from signature large loop intersection Cheras-Kajang to Bukit Antarabangsa.
As mentioned, the 7.8km Phase 2 starts at Sri Petaling (go straight from Kesas or the slide next to Endah Parade) and it is the Sri Petaling interchange – apart from Kesas, SUKE also connects to the High Road KL-Seremban express here. The next interchange is just a short distance away – the Sungai Besi interchange is right next to the old town Putrajaya Line MRT station and it connects SUKE to the Besraya Expressway.
Then, overhead SUKE reflects MRR2 to Bandar Tasik Selatan, passing the TBS bus center on the left. Immediately after TBS, SUKE turned right to climb the hill to Alam Damai. This is where the two-story layout begins – the direction of traffic to Cheras-Kajang (KL) will be on the upper floor; those heading to Sri Petaling will be on the lower deck. As you climb the hill, the structure is sandwiched by the apartment blocks and the rear of UCSI.
We have observed before the complexity of building SUKE – the spiral ramp of the Cheras-Kajang intersection gets all the attention, but the elevated urban expressway completely cuts through the densely built areas and the existing main roads, makes things more difficult – and the highlight of Phase 2 is this ‘two-story’ stretch of Alam Damai which is quite imposing.
Talking about Alam Damai, there is a toll station here to charge a total of three times for SUKE. Each floor has its own toll booth. Although SUKE’s main line is now complete with the opening of Phase 2, the Alam Damai interchange is still under construction and Prolintas says it will be completed by Q3 2023, specifically August – Another 20% will be used for this intersection, we’re told.
default
default
The Alam Damai toll station is where SUKE’s control center is located, and the very tall building (by highway control center standards) even houses F&B shops on the ground floor, one of which is a door. goods for drivers. From here, just a short distance to the existing Cheras-Kajang interchange and its characteristic spiral ramps, you can Read about in full here.
In total, SUKE has 14 interchanges along the 24.4 km length of the main line (57.7 km if all interchanges are included), and these are 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.
Alternative MRR2 is linked to the aforementioned ring road, Kesas (at Sri Petaling), KL-Seremban Expressway, Sungai Besi Expressway (Besraya), Grand Saga, Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Overhead Expressway (AKLEH) ) and the Duta-Ulu Kelang Expressway (DUCK). The future East Klang Valley Expressway (EKVE) will also be linked.
default
default
default
default
According to Prolintas Group CEO Datuk Mohammad Azlan Abdullah, SUKE is an effective traffic dispersion solution for the eastern part of KL, which is expected to reduce traffic volume on MRR2 by 30%, Jalan Ampang by 36%. and Jalan Loke Yew 12% during rush hour. Those three roads are notoriously congested, and if the forecast is correct, everyone benefits.
Prolintas – which is also a franchisee for the DASH, AKLEH, Guthrie, LKSA and Kajang Silk motorways – says estimated end-to-end travel time is 25 minutes with SUKE, compared with 75 minutes on the route. current, i.e. MRR2. That’s a huge difference in 50 minutes – even if it’s half an hour, that’s a huge amount of time saved every day.
But of course, as with all good things, there is a price to pay. Mohd Azlan said he would leave important notice to labor minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi, who will be in charge of the launch next week, but hinted that Alam Damai’s fees would not be higher than what RM2.30 is charged at Bukit Teratai and Ampang tolls of Phase 1. We expect it to be the same, meaning total damage is RM6.90 end-to-end. Probably not for the sake of being cost conscious, but even if you don’t use it every day, it’s always good to have an alternative.
Will there be a free trial period? All will be revealed in the premiere next week. Check out the map, Phase 2 photos provided by Prolintas as well our collection of Phase 1, with drone shots. Friends Sri Petaling, Bukit Jalil and Cheras/Alam Damai, how do you feel?
LIBRARY: SUKE Expressway Phase 2
LIBRARY: SUKE Expressway Phase 1
