Persiaran Mokhtar Dahari

Persiaran Mokhtar Dahari,^[2] or Shah Alam-Batu Arang Highway or Puncak Alam Highway and Jalan Batu Arang (Selangor state route B49), is a major highway in Selangor, Malaysia.

Overview

The Shah Alam-Batu Arang Highway runs for 17.2 kilometers into the north-western direction from Jalan Subang-Batu Tiga (also known as Jalan Sungai Buloh - Guthrie Corridor Expressway interchange) (Federal Route 3214) towards Jalan Meru Tambahan.

The midsection of this stretch at the 8th kilometre connects to Jalan Paip which allows a shorter route to the town of Meru and Klang. The opposite end of this midsection intersection would reveal an access road leading to the entrance of the Subang Lake Dam, a major water catchment/reservoir for Subang and the surrounding vicinity. This particular access road is also the location of a high-profile case involving the murder of a Mongolian model Altantuya Shariibuu.^[3]

Starting as a common two-way traffic trunk road, its condition had since been improved with the addition of more lighting, overtaking lanes and extra road shoulders to cater for slower traffic and motorcyclists. Travellers will find that this particular road cuts through terrain that pass over undulating hill crests and green areas that used to be a forest reserve of Bukit Cherakah. Drivers could see warning sign erected cautioning traffic of crossing tapirs (tenuk) that once lived in the forest areas. Similar precaution should also be exercised to give way to macaques (monkeys) that commonly scavenge along, and cross this particular road. Road accidents involving these precious wildlife had previously been reported, despite precautionary measures and relocation activities by the authorities.^[4]

Motorists should expect heavy traffic volume or bumper to bumper congestion heading towards Guthrie Corridor Expressway from 6.00 a.m. up to 9.00 a.m on workdays, and similar traffic pattern towards Puncak Alam beginning from 4.30 p.m up to 8.00 p.m. The traffic flow would be adversely affected by a mere drizzle of the rain, vehicle breakdown, or any type of traffic accident.

Route background

The Kilometre Zero of the highway starts at Subang-Bukit Jelutong junctions.

History

The Shah Alam-Batu Arang Highway was built by a joint venture between Oxford Alliance Sdn. Bhd. and the Selangor state government to cater for the needs of a better access to the new township of Puncak Alam. However, the construction of the second phase of the road was delayed for two years due to the effect of the 1997 Asian financial crisis before being resumed in 1999. The highway was opened to motorists on 28 February 2003.^[1]

On 2014, the highway was renamed as Persiaran Mokhtar Dahari in honour of legendary Malaysian footballer, Mokhtar Dahari.^[2]

Features

Unique features and place of interest

One stretch of this road cuts across a lake within the vicinity of Puncak Perdana, virtually cutting the lake into two sections by the road landfill. This scenic spot is frequently visited by anglers due to its easy accessibility.

The green areas leading to and around the Subang Lake Dam, and also other roadside tracks along this highway also appears to be a popular trekking and mountain biking spot.

At most sections, the Federal Route B49 was built under the JKR R5 road standard, allowing maximum speed limit of up to 90 km/h.

List of junctions

Km	Exit	Junctions[3]	To	Remarks
B49 0	EXIT 1	Subang-bukit Jelutong Junctions	B9 Jalan Subang-Batu Tiga North Subang Kampung Melayu Subang Guthrie Corridor Expressway Rawang Ipoh South Bukit Jelutong Guthrie Corridor Expressway Batu Tiga Shah Alam Klang Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Johor Bahru	T-junctions
B49 Persiaran Mohktar Dahari (Shah Alam-batu Arang Highway) Start/End of highway
		GCE Crossing Bridge
		GCE Ramp		Ramp off the Expressway
	EXIT 2	Sunway Kayangan Junctions	Sunway Kayangan	T-junctions
	EXIT 3	Kayangan Heights Junctions	Kayangan Heights	T-junctions
	EXIT 4	Bukit Bayu Junctions	Bukit Bayu Subang Impian	T-junctions
	EXIT 5	Cahaya SPK Interchange	Cahaya SPK	Interchange with special ramp to Cahaya SPK
	EXIT 6A	Puncak Perdana Puncak Perdana (East) Junctions	Persiaran Pulau Angsa North Sunway Alam Suria South Bandar Nusa Rhu Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Puncak Perdana Campus	Junctions
	EXIT 6B	Puncak Perdana Puncak Perdana (West) Junctions	South Jalan Pulau Angsa U10/13 Puncak Perdana Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Puncak Perdana Campus	T-junctions
		Puncak Perdana Lake
	EXIT 7	Alam Budiman Junctions	South Persiaran Pulau Lumut Alam Budiman	T-junctions
	EXIT 8	U14 Junctions	Greenhill Residence	T-Junctions
B49 8	EXIT 9	Jalan Paip Junctions	Southwest Jalan Paip Meru Klang	T-junctions
		Subang Lake Dam (Empangan Tasik Subang)
		Bukit Cherakah forest reserve
Petaling-Kuala Selangor district border
	EXIT 10	Saujana Utama Junctions	East Jalan Saujana Utama Saujana Utama Paya Jaras Sungai Buloh	T-junctions
B49 16
		Sungai Buloh Bridge
B49 Persiaran Mohktar Dahari (Shah Alam-batu Arang Highway) Start/End of highway
16.6	EXIT 11	Puncak Alam Puncak Alam Junctions	B1 Jalan Meru North Kuala Selangor Ijok Bestari Jaya (Batang Berjuntai) Batu Arang Kuala Lumpur-Kuala Selangor Expressway Kuala Selangor Kuala Lumpur Rawang Ipoh South B1 Meru Kapar Klang Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Puncak Alam Campus	T-junctions
			Northwest Jalan Alam Jaya Puncak Alam

References

External links

• Google map of Puncak Alam Highway
• Relocating Endangered Tapir, by Elizabeth John & K.T. Chelvi, New Straits Times