Last Beam Up For LATAR Expressway Bridge As Templer’s Park Sleeps

It took a crew of 100 men and three engineers to put in place the final 90-tonne U-beam measuring 37.9 m on the LATAR Expressway bridge, making it an engineering feat of precision and high drama – all at 3.00 am as the communities in the Templer’s Park area slept undisturbed.

Watched in awe only by traffic that stopped momentarily along Jalan KL-Rawang (Federal Road 1), the contractors of the 33-km LATAR Expressway put the last massive bridge-beam into place in minutes across the trunk road, a historic moment as far as LATAR Expressway is concerned.

KL-Kuala Selangor Expressway Berhad (KLSEB), concessionaire for the RM958 million new LATAR Expressway, announced this today.

“This last beam was ‘hoisted’ at the Templer’s Park interchange, making the final stage of development for the LATAR Expressway complete. With this in place, the expressway is closer to opening in the middle of this year,” said KLSEB chief executive officer Amran Amir.

The Templer Park Interchange comprises three-tier directional ramps allowing for a free-flow of traffic in and out of the LATAR Expressway and the Jalan KL-Rawang route.

There are four ramps at the Templer’s Park Interchange – LATAR Expressway to Kuala Lumpur (Ramp AA); Rawang into LATAR Expressway (Ramp BB); LATAR Expressway to Rawang (Ramp CC); and Kuala Lumpur into LATAR Expressway (Ramp DD).

“Constructing the interchange was a challenge to us. We worked within a constrained space surrounded by the Hutan Kanching Forest reserve, live traffic along Jalan KL-Rawang and encountered the difficulties of rock formations lining the trunk road which did not permit for rock blasting on a busy thoroughfare”, said Amran.

The manual hand-dug Caisson technique had been applied to Ramps AA, BB and DD. In geotechnical engineering terms, a Caisson is a retaining, watertight structure used to work on the foundations of a bridge pier. The tallest column supporting the bridges measures 26.8 m at Pier 3 on the LATAR Expressway to Kuala Lumpur segment and the beams here have the longest span.

“To ensure the sturdiness of these bridges at the ramps, some of the bored piles go down very deep into the ground – 17 m into the soil and 4 m into granite,” added Amran.

Beams are commonly used in bridge construction, and the LATAR Expressway has a total of 569 beams in place for the bridges located at its four interchanges and an overland stretch along the expressway that circumvents a main water pipe artery that serves three-quarters of Selangor.

The “last beam up” was also witnessed by many workers who have been involved with the construction of the expressway since 2008. LATAR Expressway is a green field dual-carriageway project linking Templer’s Park in Gombak district to Ijok in Kuala Selangor district and is a faster safer choice of just 18 minutes between the two ends.

LATAR Expressway will serve several townships such as Kuala Selangor, Assam Jawa, Ijok, Batang Berjuntai, Kota Puteri, Puncak Alam, Shah Alam, Bukit Jelutong, Sungai Buloh, Kundang, Rawang and Selayang as well as allow for a faster, safer choice to the cities of Petaling Jaya and Kuala Lumpur. LATAR Expressway provides ready access into the PLUS North-South Highway, the Guthrie Corridor Expressway and the West Coast Highway when it is complete.

The new expressway forms the North West portion of the Malaysian Government’s bigger plan for a KL Outer Ring Road (KLORR) which begins from the Templer’s Park Interchange along Federal Route 1 (KL-Rawang) to the Guthrie Corridor Expressway.

KLORR is a planned orbital ring road within the greater Kuala Lumpur area as an alternative to the present congested Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2).

Construction of the LATAR KL-Kuala Selangor Expressway began in October 2008 and is expected to complete ahead of schedule by end of May 2011. The Malaysian Highway Authority is expected to carry out its inspections on the LATAR Expressway this month, and subsequently give its approvals. The general public can enjoy the new expressway by the middle of this year.

LATAR Expressway to Provide Commuters Easy Accessibility and Faster Alternate Route to Federal Road 54

KUALA LUMPUR -- This was the message given to a group of property investors when they visited a section of the LATAR Expressway recently, a 33 km two-lane carriageway that links Kuala Lumpur at Temper’s Park in Gombak district with Ijok in Kuala Selangor district.

And it will also spur high capacity economic development for the towns along the LATAR Expressway.

LATAR Expressway is now in its final stage of development and will be the alternate link road to the present Jalan Sungai Buloh – Kuala Selangor (Federal Road 54). When opened, it will provide for a faster, safer, smoother and non-congested drive that would take only 18 minutes to accomplish from end-to-end.

“LATAR Expressway links the townships of Kuala Selangor, Assam Jawa, Ijok, Batang Berjuntai, Kota Puteri, Puncak Alam, Shah Alam, Bukit Jelutong, Sungai Buloh, Kundang, Rawang and Selayang as well as to the cities of Petaling Jaya and Kuala Lumpur,” explained Dato Ir Mohamad Razali Othman, Chairman of the KL-Kuala Selangor Expressway in his welcoming remarks to the Selangor property visitors.

“It is all about accessibility and time-saving travel; residents and commuters in and around Rawang and the surrounding townships need the accessibility and convenience when traveling in and out of the North West part of the KL Outer Ring Road (KLORR), which begins from the Templer’s Park Interchange along Federal Route 1 (KL-Rawang) to the Guthrie Corridor Expressway.

Prior to the existence of the LATAR Expressway, commuters could not move as easily and as speedily from the North-West part of Kuala Lumpur to towns located in and around Kuala Selangor and Petaling Jaya without experiencing traffic congestion.

“Mobility is the pride of place for the LATAR Expressway, as it will provide valuable links to the existing PLUS North-South Highway and the Guthrie Expressway, and the various towns thereon. The LATAR Expressway connects the many townships through four interchanges and three tolls, which will assist in dispersing traffic significantly,” added Razali.

According the Razali, the new LATAR Expressway is also expected to spur further growth of property developments, townships and commerce in the region, just as it has during the construction period.

“The LATAR Expressway will definitely stimulate high speed, high capacity development bringing unprecedented prosperity and economic progress to Kuala Selangor. Commercial and general trade activity will receive a boost because of the easy and convenient access to all the towns,” added the KL-Kuala Selangor Expressway Chairman.

With the opening of the LATAR Expressway, the KLORR –  an orbital ring road within the greater Kuala Lumpur area -- would be near complete. It will strategically take away congested traffic from the existing Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2).

The completed sections of KLORR include the Guthrie Corridor Expressway linking to Elite Expressway from Bukit Jelutong, Shah Alam to Saujana Putra, and the South Klang Valley Expressway from Saujana Putra to Kajang. In addition KLORR connects Kajang to Hulu Langat via the SILK Highway.

With the completion of LATAR Expressway, 75% of the KLORR network would be formed leading to the Government’s greater vision for traffic dispersal that reduces congestion in Kuala Lumpur city.

Construction of the LATAR Expressway began in October 2008 and pending inspections by the Malaysian Highway Authority (MHA) motorists can enjoy the new expressway by the middle of this year.

The concession was awarded to KL-Kuala Selangor Expressway Berhad for a period of 40 years. Mudajaya Holdings Berhad is the turnkey contractor for this expressway who was awarded the job for a contract value amounting to RM958 million. The construction divided into two packages, comprises package 1 of the proposed design-and-build contract from Asam Jawa to Kundang, while package 2 is from Kundang to Templer's Park.

LATAR Expressway Enters Final Stage

Measuring 33 kms, it is a greenfield project that will provide a faster, safer choice for commuters

KUALA LUMPUR --- The KL-Kuala Selangor Expressway (LATAR Expressway) linking Kuala Lumpur at Templer’s Park in the district of Gombak with the township of Ijok in the district of Kuala Selangor on the West coast of the peninsula, has now entered into the final stage of development.

KL-Kuala Selangor Expressway Berhad (KLSEB), concessionaire for the new LATAR Expressway, announced this today.

The 33 km dual carriageway expressway will be the alternative link road to the present Jalan Sungai Buloh – Kuala Selangor (Federal Road 54). When opened, LATAR Expressway will provide for a faster, safer, smoother and non-congested drive that would take just a mere 18 minutes to accomplish from end-to-end.

Commuters will find easy access, convenience and connectivity to the many communities and townships along the LATAR Expressway.

It links the townships of Kuala Selangor, Assam Jawa, Ijok, Batang Berjuntai, Kota Puteri, Puncak Alam, Shah Alam, Bukit Jelutong, Sungai Buloh, Kundang, Rawang and Selayang.

The LATAR Expressway features four interchanges and three toll plazas on each side of the expressway. The four interchanges give faster and easy access into the existing Guthrie Corridor Expressway, PLUS North-South Expressway and the future West Coast Highway.

LATAR Expressway also features the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS), CCTVs, Variable Message Signboards (VMS), traffic control devices, all weather road markers and emergency telephones that ensure the safety of commuters traversing the expressway.

Rest and service areas (R&R) can also be found on both sides of the expressway to add to the convenience of motorists wishing to take a break while plying the expressway.

The new expressway forms the North West portion of the Malaysian Government’s bigger plan for a KL Outer Ring Road (KLORR) which begins from the Templer’s Park Interchange along Federal Route 1 (KL-Rawang) to the Guthrie Corridor Expressway.

KLORR is a planned orbital ring road within the greater Kuala Lumpur area as an alternative to the present congested Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2).

Currently, the completed sections of KLORR include the Guthrie Corridor Expressway linking to Elite Expressway from Bukit Jelutong, Shah Alam to Saujana Putra, and the South Klang Valley Expressway from Saujana Putra to Kajang. In addition KLORR connects Kajang to Hulu Langat via the SILK Highway.

With the impending completion of LATAR Expressway, 75% of the KLORR network would be formed leading to the Government’s greater vision for traffic dispersal that reduces congestion in Kuala Lumpur city.

With the new LATAR Expressway in place, it is expected to spur further growth of property developments, townships and commerce in the region, just as it has during the construction period.

Construction of the LATAR Expressway began in October 2008 and is expected to complete in the near future. With inspections by the Malaysian Highway Authority (MHA) to duly follow, it is hoped that motorists can enjoy the new expressway by the middle of this year.

The concession was awarded to KL-Kuala Selangor Expressway Berhad for a period of 40 years. Mudajaya Holdings Berhad is the turnkey contractor for this expressway who was awarded the job for a contract value amounting to RM958 million. The construction divided into two packages, comprises package 1 of the proposed design-and-build contract from Asam Jawa to Kundang, while package 2 is from Kundang to Templer's Park.