Sprint Expressway
The Sprint Expressway (E23), also known as SPRINT Highway (Malay: Lebuhraya Sprint), is a 26.5-kilometre toll expressway in the Klang Valley region of Malaysia, primarily serving western Kuala Lumpur.[1] It consists of three interconnected links—Kerinchi Link, Damansara Link, and Penchala Link—forming a six-lane dual carriageway that functions as a free-flow dispersal system to alleviate traffic congestion on inner-city and residential roads leading to the capital.[1] Opened in stages between 2001 and 2004, the expressway connects key areas including Kerinchi, Damansara, and Penchala, facilitating efficient north-south and east-west movement while supporting urban development in the vicinity.[1] Operated by Sistem Penyuraian Trafik KL Barat Sdn Bhd under a 33-year concession granted in 1998, the highway features 13 interchanges, three toll plazas, and innovative engineering elements such as Malaysia's first double-decked carriageway on the Kerinchi Link and the widest highway tunnel in the country—a 700-metre twin-bore structure on the Penchala Link.[1][2] These design choices enhance capacity and safety, addressing the dense traffic demands of the growing metropolis without relying on unverified media narratives of broader systemic issues. The expressway's construction, completed as part of the Western Kuala Lumpur Traffic Dispersal Scheme, exemplifies practical infrastructure solutions grounded in observed traffic patterns and engineering feasibility rather than ideological priorities.[2]Route Description
Kerinchi Link
The Kerinchi Link constitutes the southern segment of the Sprint Expressway, extending approximately 11.5 km northward from the Kerinchi Interchange to the transition with the Damansara Link near the Mid Valley Megamall vicinity.[3] This alignment follows a primarily elevated viaduct structure, traversing urban terrain in southwestern Kuala Lumpur and facilitating seamless integration into the broader expressway network.[4] At its southern terminus, the Kerinchi Link interconnects with the Federal Highway (Route 2) via a complex three-tier Y-shaped interchange featuring double-deck viaducts, enabling efficient merging from southern arterial roads into the expressway.[4] The route passes adjacent to Universiti Malaya, providing localized access points that support academic and residential traffic flows without direct campus interchanges.[5] Further north, it approaches the Mid Valley area, where proximity to commercial hubs enhances connectivity for outbound dispersal. This segment plays a critical role in diverting vehicular volume from congested southern suburbs, such as those along the Federal Highway, toward central Kuala Lumpur destinations, thereby alleviating pressure on parallel urban roads.[1] Indirect linkages to the Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2) occur through Federal Highway feeders, promoting regional traffic redistribution within the Klang Valley system.[6]Damansara Link
The Damansara Link forms the east-west core of the Sprint Expressway, spanning 9.5 kilometers from the Kayu Ara interchange at Kampung Kayu Ara in Petaling Jaya to the Jalan Duta-Semantan interchange near Semantan in Kuala Lumpur.[3] This segment traverses densely developed urban terrain, incorporating elevated structures over residential areas in Damansara Utama and Damansara Jaya to maintain traffic flow without obstructing ground-level access.[7] Key connections include ramps to Jalan Damansara, enabling integration with local arterials and facilitating entry from adjacent neighborhoods.[4] The route links to extensions of the SPRINT system, supporting continuous dispersal across the Klang Valley. By providing an alternative to surface roads, the Damansara Link functions as a primary bypass for congestion in central Damansara and Taman Tun Dr Ismail, diverting vehicles from overburdened paths like Jalan Damansara and Federal Highway segments.[8]Penchala Link
The Penchala Link constitutes the eastern segment of the Sprint Expressway, extending approximately 5.5 kilometers from the Penchala Interchange in the west to the Segambut Interchange in the east, thereby establishing a key west-east corridor within Kuala Lumpur's urban network.[3] This configuration integrates seamlessly with the broader Sprint system, which comprises the Kerinchi Link to the south and Damansara Link to the southwest, collectively forming a partial loop that encircles central Kuala Lumpur and facilitates circumferential traffic movement.[2] The link's alignment traverses densely developed suburban terrain, incorporating the 700-meter Penchala Tunnel—a twin-bore structure designed to navigate hilly topography and minimize surface disruption.[1] At its western terminus, the Penchala Link interconnects with the Damansara–Shah Alam Elevated Expressway (DASH), enabling efficient inbound and outbound flows from Shah Alam and western suburbs into the city.[9] To the east, it links to the DUKE Highway at Segambut, providing onward access to northern and northeastern routes, while offering proximity to upscale residential enclaves such as Sri Hartamas and Mont Kiara.[10] These linkages enhance suburban connectivity, supporting commuter access to commercial hubs and housing developments without funneling all volume through downtown arterials. As part of the Western Kuala Lumpur Traffic Dispersal Scheme, the Penchala Link plays a critical role in redistributing vehicular loads from congested inner-city roads toward peripheral northern suburbs, thereby mitigating peak-hour bottlenecks and promoting balanced urban mobility.[1] Its operational design, including three-lane dual carriageways, accommodates higher capacities for cross-town travel, contributing to the overall system's objective of easing central congestion through alternative peripheral pathways.[2] This dispersal function has been integral since the link's integration into the Sprint network, aiding in the management of growing metropolitan traffic volumes.[3]History
Planning and Pioneer Roads
The Sprint Expressway was conceptualized in the 1990s as a key component of the Malaysian government's Western Kuala Lumpur Traffic Dispersal Scheme, aimed at relieving chronic congestion on the Federal Highway and diverting traffic from overcrowded inner-city and residential roads in the Klang Valley. This initiative formed part of the broader Greater Kuala Lumpur Traffic Masterplan, which sought to establish a network of ring roads and radial expressways to enhance urban mobility and capacity in the rapidly growing western suburbs of the capital.[1][2] Planning efforts intensified in the mid-1990s, driven by escalating traffic volumes on routes like Jalan Damansara, where bottlenecks severely hampered access to central Kuala Lumpur. The scheme prioritized three interconnected links—Kerinchi, Damansara, and Penchala—to create a 26.5 km dual three-lane system linking major highways such as the Federal Highway, New Pantai Expressway, and North Klang Valley Expressway. Early alignments in the Kerinchi and Damansara areas were identified as precursors, with phased preparatory works enabling integration into the existing road network while minimizing disruption to dense urban development.[1] On October 23, 1997, the government awarded the concession to Sistem Penyuraian Trafik KL Barat Sdn Bhd (SPRINT), a private consortium tasked with financing, designing, and upgrading the route through toll revenues. This public-private partnership model involved key players like Gamuda Berhad, which contributed to route design and feasibility assessments to ensure technical viability amid challenging topography and land constraints. The arrangement emphasized self-sustaining toll-funded infrastructure to accelerate implementation without straining public budgets.[11][2]Construction and Development
The Sprint Expressway's development was formalized through a concession agreement signed on 23 October 1997 between the Malaysian government and Sistem Penyuraian Trafik KL Barat Sdn Bhd (SPRINT), with the effective date set for 15 December 1998.[1] A supplementary agreement on 4 September 1998 deferred construction of the Penchala Link to prioritize initial phases.[1] Principal works commenced shortly thereafter, encompassing upgrades to existing roads and new infrastructure across the 26.4 km, six-lane dual carriageway system. Construction proceeded in phases, with the Damansara Link and Kerinchi Link—the initial segments—completed and operationalized in 2001, marking the first double-decked carriageway in Malaysia within the Kerinchi section.[1] The Penchala Link followed, reaching completion in 2004 after addressing deferred elements.[1] [2] Contractor Gamuda Berhad handled critical components, including the integration of 13 interchanges to enhance urban connectivity. A primary engineering challenge involved the 700-meter twin-bore Penchala Tunnel, the widest highway tunnel in Malaysia at the time, constructed via the drill-and-blast method in geologically complex urban terrain reaching depths of up to 30 meters.[1] [2] This approach was necessitated by site constraints precluding tunnel boring machines, demanding precise rock stabilization and ventilation systems to mitigate risks in a densely populated area. The privatized concession model, reliant on toll-backed financing, expedited these phases by leveraging private capital and expertise, thereby averting substantial upfront public debt while achieving operational readiness within five years of the effective concession date.[1]Opening and Initial Operations
The Kerinchi Link and Damansara Link of the Sprint Expressway commenced operations in 2001, initiating the highway's role as a key dispersal network in western Kuala Lumpur. These sections were developed under a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) concession agreement signed on 23 October 1997, with an effective date of 15 December 1998, and managed by Sistem Penyuraian Trafik KL Barat Sdn Bhd, the concessionaire within the Litrak group.[1] The links provided six lanes of free-flow carriageway, connecting major urban areas and immediately serving as alternatives to overburdened routes like the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE).[1] Following construction completion, operational management transitioned to the concessionaire, focusing on toll collection and maintenance to support initial traffic dispersal. The opening alleviated pressure on inner-city roads by diverting vehicles from congested federal routes, though specific early traffic volume data remains limited in public records. The Penchala Link's addition in 2004 extended the network, but the 2001 inaugurations established the expressway's foundational connectivity.[1]
Design and Engineering Features
Structural and Technical Specifications
The Sprint Expressway comprises a 26.5 km six-lane dual carriageway configured as a free-flow highway, enabling uninterrupted traffic movement across its three links: Kerinchi, Damansara, and Penchala.[1][12] This design prioritizes high-capacity throughput by minimizing intersections and employing elevated viaducts where necessary, with the overall structure built to Malaysian Public Works Department standards for expressways, including reinforced concrete for bridges and pavements to withstand heavy urban loads.[3] Key structural elements include the 700-meter twin-bore Penchala Tunnel, engineered as the widest highway tunnel in Malaysia upon completion, featuring twin parallel bores for bidirectional flow and ventilation systems compliant with local safety norms.[1] The Kerinchi Link introduces Malaysia's inaugural double-decked carriageway section, stacking roadways vertically to optimize space in dense areas while maintaining structural integrity through post-tensioned concrete slabs.[1] Additionally, the route incorporates 10 pedestrian bridges constructed with steel and concrete to provide safe overpasses, reducing at-grade conflicts.[12] Engineering for efficiency emphasizes durability via asphalt surfacing on concrete bases, designed for repetitive heavy vehicle traffic, though specific material compositions like polymer-modified binders are not publicly detailed beyond standard Malaysian highway specifications.[3] The system lacks specialized earthquake-resistant features, aligning with Malaysia's low-seismic zoning under pre-2017 codes, which prioritize wind and flood resilience over seismic detailing. Noise mitigation, where implemented along edges, utilizes barriers to attenuate traffic sound, though comprehensive coverage is not uniformly specified.[13] Maintenance protocols focus on routine pavement resurfacing and structural inspections to sustain load-bearing capacity, supporting daily volumes that have historically exceeded design thresholds during peak urban demand.[1]Interchanges and Connectivity
The Sprint Expressway comprises 13 interchanges across its three constituent links, designed to integrate with radial and ring road networks in western Kuala Lumpur for efficient traffic dispersal.[2] These access points primarily utilize ramp systems, including directional and diamond configurations, to connect with major arterials while minimizing weaving conflicts.[3] The Kerinchi Link, oriented north-south over 11.5 km, features interchanges enabling linkage to the Federal Highway at Seputeh for southern access and to the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE, E1) at both Jalan Duta and Mont Kiara, with the latter serving as the link's reference kilometre zero.[3] This configuration supports bidirectional ramps to the NKVE, facilitating northward travel toward Ipoh and southward integration via the Federal Highway, which indirectly connects to the New Pantai Expressway (NPE, E10) near its southern terminus.[3] Intermediate ramps provide dispersal to urban locales such as Bangsar and Kampung Kerinchi, enhancing local connectivity without direct radial highway ties. The Damansara Link, spanning 9.5 km in an east-west alignment, originates at Kampung Kayu Ara (its kilometre zero) and terminates at the Jalan Duta-Semantan Interchange, incorporating ramps for access to Petaling Jaya suburbs and integration with surrounding surface roads.[3] Its western extensions link to the Lebuhraya Damansara-Puchong (LDP, E11) at Damansara Utama, promoting cross-traffic flow between central Kuala Lumpur and western suburbs.[14] The Penchala Link connects westward from Mont Kiara to Sungai Penchala, interfacing with the LDP at the Penchala Interchange via multi-level ramps that accommodate high-volume turns toward Bandar Utama and Mutiara Damansara.[14] This setup emphasizes seamless merging with the LDP's east-west corridor, bolstering overall network redundancy for commuters avoiding city-center bottlenecks.[15] Collectively, these interchanges prioritize integration with the NKVE for regional expressway access, the LDP for suburban loops, and local feeders via the Federal Highway, forming a dispersal skeleton that links isolated urban pockets to the national highway grid.[3]Ownership, Operation, and Tolls
Concession Agreement and Operator
The concession agreement for the Sprint Expressway was signed on 23 October 1997 between the Government of Malaysia and SPRINT Sdn Bhd, authorizing the private entity to improve, upgrade, operate, and maintain the highway under a 33-year term effective from 15 December 1998.[1] The Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) serves as the regulatory body, monitoring compliance with concession terms including maintenance standards, toll adjustments, and handover provisions at expiry. SPRINT Sdn Bhd, the concessionaire, is operated by Litrak Infra Berhad, a subsidiary of Litrak Holdings Sdn Bhd, in which Gamuda Berhad holds a controlling interest through direct and indirect stakes exceeding 70%.[16][17] This privatized toll concession framework was designed to attract private capital and technical expertise for infrastructure expansion during Malaysia's 1990s economic boom, when public fiscal resources were stretched by competing national priorities such as industrialization and urban growth. By shifting financial risk and operational responsibility to concessionaires funded via user tolls, the model facilitated rapid development without immediate strain on government budgets, though it embedded long-term revenue streams for operators.[18] Government initiatives to abolish tolls on highways like Sprint, pledged in political manifestos since at least the 2018 elections, have encountered repeated delays as of 2025, primarily due to the prohibitive costs of compensating concessionaires for foregone revenues and assuming maintenance liabilities, projected in the billions of ringgit. Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi noted that outright abolition would impose billions in payouts alongside ongoing road upkeep burdens previously covered by tolls, contrasting with more feasible short-term measures like hike deferrals funded by annual government subsidies exceeding RM500 million across multiple expressways. For Sprint and affiliated concessions under Gamuda-Litrak, this has manifested in stalled buyout talks, such as 2022 negotiations with state-linked investor Amanah Lebuhraya Rakyat (ALR), prioritizing rate freezes over termination amid fiscal prudence.[19][20][21]Toll Collection Systems and Rates
The Sprint Expressway operates an electronic toll collection (ETC) system featuring dedicated lanes for Touch 'n Go cards and SmartTAG transponders, enabling cashless payments and reducing wait times at plazas compared to manual collection methods.[22][23] These systems were standardized following the phase-out of the proprietary FasTrak in 2004, aligning with national ETC adoption to minimize congestion on urban routes.[24] Since August 2023, the expressway has incorporated open payment options, accepting contactless credit and debit cards at select lanes as part of a nationwide trial to further digitize tolling and accommodate users without dedicated transponders.[25] This expansion, extended into 2024 for highways including Sprint, supports RFID compatibility while maintaining interoperability with legacy ETC devices amid gradual system upgrades.[26][27] Toll rates, unchanged as of October 2025 following the postponement of scheduled increases under concession reviews, are segmented by vehicle class and plaza location, with revenues directed toward maintenance and operations without government subsidies.[28][1]| Vehicle Class | Description | Rate per Plaza (RM) |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Car (2 axles, 3/4 wheels, excl. taxi) | 2.00–3.00 |
| Class 2 | Van (2 axles, 6 wheels) | 2.00–3.00 |