Genting Sempah – Genting Highlands Highway

The Genting Sempah-Genting Highlands Highway is a main highway from Genting Sempah to Genting Highlands, Malaysia's famous mountain resort and entertainment parks. This is a private highway owned by Genting Berhad. The speed limit of the highway is 50 km/h (31 mph).

Route background

The Genting Sempah-Genting Highlands Highway begins at the downhill Genting Sempah. Its terminus (Kilometre Zero) is at Genting Highlands summit.^[1]

History

The Genting Sempah-Genting Highlands Highway was used to be a private highway owned by Genting Highlands Resort. Construction of the access road to Genting Highlands began on 18 August 1965 and would take four years to complete the access road from Genting Sempah to the peak of Mount Ulu Kali. The access road finally opened on 31 March 1969 in conjunction with the official laying of the foundation stone for the Genting Hotel (the then Highlands Hotel) by the then first Malaysian Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj. In the year 2001, a new bypass Chin Swee Bypass which was designed as a downhill route from the summit to the downhill Chin Swee Temple was constructed and was completed in 2005. The construction of the new bypass was regarded as one of the most astonishing engineering project in Malaysia. Since 1989, there are many serious accidents are rare on the relatively well-maintained roads leading to the area's main resorts.

Notable events

• 18 August 1965 – Construction of the access road to Genting Highlands began.
• 31 March 1969 – The access road to Genting Highlands was opened.
• 30 June 1995 – 20 people were killed in the landslide at Genting Highlands slip road near Kuala Lumpur-Karak Highway.
• 16 July 1996 – A bus, ferrying a group of factory workers and their families on a holiday excursion, plunged into a 120m-deep ravine at Km 1 of the Genting Sempah-Genting Highlands Highway near the Genting Highlands Resort, killing 17 of them. Six were children.
• 5 June 2004 – A retired businessman was killed when the bus he was skidded overturned and crashed at Km 16 Genting Sempah-Genting Highlands Highway near Sri Layang roundabout.
• 31 March 2005 – A bus negotiating the sharp corner at Km 18 of the Genting Sempah-Genting Highlands Highway at Gohtong Jaya roundabout skidded, hit the divider and landed on its side while coming down Genting Highlands. Fifteen passengers were injured.
• 13 April 2006 – A landslide occurred at 11 p.m. at Km 3.8 of the Genting Sempah-Genting Highlands Highway. The landslide at the new Chin Swee Bypass to Genting Highlands two days ago caused soil and boulders to cover the road, making it inaccessible to traffic. No one was apparently hurt.
• 22 September 2009 – Genting Malaysia Berhad has announced that soil erosion occurred at Km 3.3 of a downhill road at the Genting Highlands Resort at 3.20am today. No one was apparently hurt.
• 29 October 2010 – Seven people were killed and more than 20 injured when the bus they were travelling in crashed at the Genting Sempah-Genting Highlands Highway slip roads of the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway near Genting Sempah.
• 21 October 2011 – A man suffered light injuries when the front of his car was hit by a landslide at Km 13.9 of the Genting Sempah-Genting Highlands Highway near Genting Highlands
• 21 August 2013 – At least 37 people were killed and 16 others injured when the bus carrying 53 passengers crashed into ravine at Km 3.5 of the Genting Sempah-Genting Highlands Highway near Chin Swee Temple, Genting Highlands, Pahang. It was the worst road disasters in Malaysian history.
• 18 November 2014 – A landslide, caused by heavy rain, forced the closure of the Km 4.2 of the Genting Sempah-Genting Highlands Highway heading towards Genting Highlands.

Features

Dangerous curves

At least six spots along the 18 km road leading down from Genting Highlands have recorded horrific accident area involving buses and other heavy vehicles since 1989. 10% steep gradients, sharp bends and less-than-ideal road conditions can make it difficult for heavy vehicles to manoeuvre, and odds of losing control, skidding off the road and crashing, are high. (Source: New Straits Times, 23 August 2013)

Separated one-way roads

The one-way road (formerly original dual-carriageway highway) from Chin Swee Temple designed for climbing route to the summit, while the other one-way road from the summit designed for downhill route to Chin Swee Temple.

Emergency escape ramp

The emergency escape ramp are also provided here especially on the one way downhill Genting Sempah bound. This emergency escape ramp that enables vehicles that are having braking problems to safely stop. It is typically a long, sand or gravel-filled lane adjacent to a road with a steep grade, and is designed to accommodate large heavy vehicles. The deep gravel allows the heavy vehicles momentum to be dissipated in a controlled and relatively harmless way, allowing the operator to stop it safely.

Viaducts at Chin Swee Bypass

Viaducts at downhill road of Chin Swee Bypass leading Genting Sempah bound.

Le Tour de Langkawi

Genting Highlands serve as the finish point of a stage in the Tour de Langkawi cycling race. It is one of the longest (30 km) climbs featured in a cycling event.

List of junctions

Original route

Km	Exit	Interchange	To	Remarks
	EXIT 1	Genting Sempah Genting Sempah A Roundabout 600m above sea level	East To/from Federal Route Bukit Tinggi Janda Baik Genting Sempah Rest and Service Area Petronas McDonalds V Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway (TnG and TAG ETC only) West Kuala Lumpur Gombak Ipoh Seremban Johor Bahru East Kuala Terengganu Kuantan Bentong Bukit Tinggi	Roundabout
		ANIH Berhad Genting Sempah Tunnel Monitoring and Maintenance Centre 645m above sea level	ANIH Berhad Genting Sempah Tunnel Monitoring and Maintenance Centre	Authorized personnel only
		Kampung Genting Sempah 647m above sea level	Kampung Genting Sempah Remember 126 Chinese Seafood Restaurant V	Genting Sempah bound Engage lower gear
Genting Sempah-Genting Highlands Highway JKR border limit
Kuala Lumpur-karak Expressway Start/End of expressway (TnG and TAG ETC only) ANIH Berhad border limit
	EXIT 2	Genting Sempah Genting Sempah B Interchange 648m above sea level	Southwest To/from Federal Route Gombak Hulu Gombak To/from Expressway Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway (TnG and TAG ETC only) West Kuala Lumpur Gombak Ipoh Seremban Johor Bahru	Interchange West bound only Engage lower gear
Kuala Lumpur-karak Expressway Start/End of expressway (TnG and TAG ETC only) ANIH Berhad border limit
Genting Sempah-Genting Highlands Highway JKR and Genting Berhad border limit
		Police post 1 ---m above sea level		Police checkpoint
Police post 1
Genting Highlands
		---m above sea level		Genting Sempah bound Engage lower gear
		Hydrophonic farm ---m above sea level		Genting Sempah bound Engage lower gear
		---m above sea level		Genting Sempah bound Engage lower gear
		Roundabout ---m above sea level		Roundabout Genting Sempah bound Engage lower gear
		---m above sea level		Genting Sempah bound Engage lower gear
		V ---m above sea level	V
		U-Turn ---m above sea level	U-Turn
	EXIT 3	Gohtong Jaya Gohtong Jaya South Interchange ---m above sea level	Northwest Gohtong Jaya Town Centre Goh Tong's Villa (Lim Goh Tong's private residence) Genting Skyway cable car stations	Interchange with one ramp underpass to Gohtong Jaya from Genting Highlands
		U-Turn ---m above sea level	U-Turn
		Genting Permai Resort ---m above sea level	Genting Permai Resort Highlands International Boarding	From Genting Highlands
18	EXIT 4	Gohtong Jaya Gohtong Jaya Roundabout 1700m above sea level	West B66 Jalan Batang Kali-Genting Highlands B57 Batang Kali B57 Ulu Yam Ipoh Genting Skyway cable car stations East Jalan Sri Layang Institut Aminuddin Baki Sekolah Kebangsaan Sri Layang	Roundabout
Genting Highlands main entrance Police post 2
17.9		Genting Highlands main entrance Police post 2 1701m above sea level		Police checkpoint
17		---m above sea level
		Gohtong Memorial Park 1702m above sea level	Gohtong Memorial Park Lim Goh Tong's grave
16		---m above sea level
15.3	EXIT 5	Sri Layang Roundabout 1703m above sea level	North Sri Layang Awana Skyway cable car stations V Masjid Yayasan Mohammad Noah (Muslims only) South Awana Awana Genting Highlands Golf & Country Resort	Roundabout
15		---m above sea level		Genting Sempah bound Engage lower gear
14		---m above sea level		Genting Sempah bound Engage lower gear
13.9		---m above sea level		Genting Sempah bound Engage lower gear
13		---m above sea level		Genting Sempah bound Engage lower gear
12.9		UPM Field Station ---m above sea level		Genting Sempah bound Engage lower gear
		V ---m above sea level	V	Genting Sempah bound Engage lower gear
		Chin Swee Temple Separation ---m above sea level	Genting Highlands Summit Bound Genting Highlands (One-way Genting Highlands bound)	One-way separated carriageway Genting Sempah bound Engage lower gear

Genting Highlands Old Roads

(Climbing route, One-way Genting Highlands bound)

Km	Exit	Interchange	To	Remarks
4.2
4
		V ---m above sea level	V	Start of the one-way bound
3
	EXIT 6A	Chin Swee Temple Exit]] ---m above sea level	Chin Swee Temple Lim Goh Tong's statue Chin Swee Temple's Awana Skyway cable car stations V	RIRO exit
		V ---m above sea level	V
2		---m above sea level
		Cradle Rock ---m above sea level	Cradle Rock V
		Heliport ---m above sea level	Heliport Open car park
1		V ---m above sea level	V
		Ria Apartments 1757m above sea level	Ria Apartments
		Genting Highlands police stations 1758m above sea level	Genting Highlands police stations
Genting Sempah-Genting Highlands Highway End of the one-way bound
0.1		Genting Highlands Genting Highlands Summit Kayangan Apartments junctions 1759m above sea level	Northwest One Way Kayangan Apartments Genting Highlands fire stations Genting Highlands staff quarters	End of the one-way bound Junctions
0		Genting Highlands Genting Highlands Summit 1760m above sea level	Genting Highlands Genting Highlands Hotel Casino de Genting Genting Highlands International Convention Centre First World Plaza First World Hotel Genting Theme Park 20th Century Fox World

Chin Swee Bypass

(Downhill route, One-way Genting Sempah bound)

Km	Exit	Interchange	To	Remarks
0		Genting Highlands Genting Highlands Summit 1760m above sea level
		---m above sea level		Start of the one-way bound
Genting Sempah-Genting Highlands Highway Start of the one-way bound
		Petron layby ---m above sea level	Petron
		Pelangi Hotel one way ---m above sea level	West One Way Pelangi Hotel Genting Highlands Hotel Casino de Genting Genting Highlands International Convention Centre First World Plaza First World Hotel Genting Theme Park 20th Century Fox World	One way directional Y junctions
		---m above sea level		Start/End of the single carriageway
		Heliport ---m above sea level	Heliport Open car park
		TNB substation ---m above sea level	TNB substation
		---m above sea level		Start/End of the single carriageway
1	EXIT 7	Mushroom Park Roundabout ---m above sea level	North Jalan Gunung Ulu Kali Gunung Ulu Kali Mushroom Park Batik Centre	Roundabout
1.6		Emergency escape ramp ---m above sea level	Emergency escape ramp	Engage lower gear
		Viaduct ---m above sea level		Engage lower gear
2		---m above sea level		Engage lower gear
		Emergency escape ramp ---m above sea level	Emergency escape ramp	Engage lower gear
	EXIT 6B	Chin Swee Temple Exit ---m above sea level	Chin Swee Temple Lim Goh Tong's statue Chin Swee Temple's Awana Skyway cable car stations V	RIRO exit Engage lower gear
		Viaduct ---m above sea level		Engage lower gear
3		---m above sea level		Engage lower gear
3.4		Emergency escape ramp ---m above sea level	Emergency escape ramp	Engage lower gear
3.5		---m above sea level		Engage lower gear
3.6		---m above sea level		Engage lower gear
4		Viaduct ---m above sea level		Engage lower gear
4.5		---m above sea level		Engage lower gear
		Chin Swee Temple Separation ---m above sea level	Genting Highlands Summit Bound (Climbing Route) Genting Highlands (One-way Genting Highlands bound) Genting Sempah Bound (Downhill Route) Gohtong Jaya B66 Batang Kali Genting Sempah Kuala Lumpur Kuantan (Continued to the original route)	End of the one-way bound One-way separated carriageway Engage lower gear

References