Kuala Lumpur-Penang Through Traffic (Ipoh North (Jelapang) - Ipoh South local-express lanes) The Jelapang and Ipoh South toll plazas were demolished in 2009 to make a non-stop route across
Ipoh. This was achieved through the construction of two
local-express lanes for each side, which are only accessible via Exit 138 Ipoh South Exit (for northbound traffic) and Exit 141 Ipoh North Exit (for southbound traffic). The toll plazas in Ipoh were therefore relocated at each ends of the local-express lanes. Upon approaching either of the two exits, the exit signs showing Ipoh are written in large typefaces in contrast with the standard exit signs, to remind highway users especially northbound drivers intending to enter Ipoh via Exit 138 Ipoh South Exit, as the next exit is Exit 143 Kuala Kangsar Exit, covering a lengthy distance of between these two exits, whilst passing through the Menora Tunnel. The decision to demolish both toll plazas was made as a result of accidents which happened at Jelapang toll plaza. Since the toll plaza was opened on 28 September 1987, there were many accident cases which involved brake failure in heavy vehicles due to difficult braking when proceeding downhill to the toll plaza. On 7 June 2008, the new Ipoh North toll plaza (South bound) replacing old Jelapang toll plaza opened to traffic, followed by north bound on 15 August 2008. Beginning 11:00 am on 14 July 2009, the Kuala Lumpur-Penang tolled section opened to traffic. With the opening of the between Ipoh North (Jelapang) and Ipoh South stretch, highway users no longer stop for toll transactions at the Ipoh North and Ipoh South Toll Plazas.~ The
runaway truck ramp is also provided in two locations in Jelapang and Menora.
Six-lane widening works Phase 1: Rawang-Tanjung Malim The 6-lane stretch which run from
Kuala Lumpur (including
New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE)) to Rawang Interchange Exit 117 expanded until Tanjung Malim Interchange Exit 121 Works were completed during the fall of 2015.
Phase 2: Tanjung Malim-Slim River Meanwhile, the next phase of these works, the 6-lane stretch was expanded from Tanjung Malim Interchange Exit 121 to Slim River Interchange Exit 126.
Exit 117 Sungai Buaya Interchange An elevated interchange at Sungai Buaya, Selangor, between Rawang and Bukit Beruntung Interchange began constructions in June 2011 and completed within 30 months at a cost of RM 87 million. The interchanged was opened to traffic on 9 January 2014.
Exit 152 Alor Pongsu Interchange An interchange at Alor Pongsu, Perak, between Bandar Baharu and Bukit Merah Interchange was opened on 7 June 2016.
Fourth lane addition In July 2010, the operator,
PLUS Expressways, announced that the government had awarded contracts to build a fourth lane on a stretch from Rawang to Jalan Duta. The construction was completed in late 2015. The zeroth kilometre point of the entire expressway is located at the
Malaysia-Thailand border.
Bukit Kayu Hitam to Sungai Dua, Butterworth The expressway begins at the
Bukit Kayu Hitam checkpoint in
Kedah, where across the border in
Thailand the road continues as
Phetkasem Road. The expressway proceeds southwards
concurrently along the old
Federal Route 1, which has not been upgraded and is still a
limited-access road. The first
grade-separated interchange, which is with
route 46 (previously FT194), provides access to the northwestern state of
Perlis. The route then enters the heart of the town of
Changlun, where it intersects with a few local roads with
traffic lights. South from the town are several rural villages with residential roads intersecting with the expressway. Just to the north of the town of
Jitra, route 1 continues southwards while the expressway bends southeast to bypass the said town, marking the end of the concurrency and the start of the
controlled-access highway proper. Just to the east of the town is the Jitra Toll Plaza, where a one-time payment is made. After the toll plaza the expressway continues southwest, entering the district of
Kota Setar and interchanging with route 1 near
Kepala Batas. Shortly south is the Hutan Kampung Toll Plaza, where
ticket tolling begins. The expressway runs east of the city of
Alor Setar, where it makes two interchanges with the
Sultanah Bahiyah Highway (route 255), both leading to aforementioned city. Past the city, route 1 returns to run parallel to the expressway, both running southeasterly to enter the district of
Pendang, where the expressway interchanges with a local route leading east to the town of the same name. Proceeding southeast, the expressway enters the
Kuala Muda district. It interchanges once in
Gurun, bends southwest, then interchanges twice again near
Sungai Petani, once to the northeast of the town and once to the southeast. The expressway crosses the bridge over the
Muda River, which marks the border between the states of Kedah and
Penang. The expressway reaches the town of Bertam, where route 1 deviates westwards from parallelism with the expressway. Further southwest is the Sungai Dua Toll Plaza, where the ticket system ends and the toll-free section begins. The expressway interchanges south of the plaza, just to the west of
Sungai Dua. This interchange marks one terminus of the
Butterworth Outer Ring Road (expressway 17), which goes west towards
Bagan Ajam. After this interchange the expressway widens to six lanes and the urban speed limit of 90 km/h applies. The expressway then crosses the
Perai River.
Butterworth and Bandar Baharu From this point the expressway enters
Seberang Perai Tengah, running southwesterly along the east side of
Butterworth, where it makes several important interchanges, including
Jalan Permatang Pauh (route 3111) leading to
Permatang Pauh, the
Butterworth–Kulim Expressway (expressway 15) towards
Kulim and
Gerik in Kedah, expressway 17 and route 1 in
Perai (this is where the other end of E17 is located) as well as the
Penang Bridge (expressway 36) towards the
island and
capital. Here the expressway bends southeast away from the coast, going towards and interchanging at the Perai Industrial Area and Juru. After Juru, the road narrows back to four lanes, followed by the Juru Toll Plaza, where the second ticket system begins. The expressway then enters
Seberang Perai Selatan. The expressway interchanges with
route 149 at
Bukit Tambun, connecting several industrial areas nearby. Close by at
Batu Kawan, the
Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah Bridge (expressway 28) terminates on this expressway, connecting
Bandar Cassia as well as the
southwest district on the island. The last interchange in Penang is with route 1 at
Jawi. The expressway then briefly re-enters the state of Kedah to interchange at
Bandar Baharu, serving itself,
Parit Buntar just across the border at
Perak, as well as the rest of southernmost Kedah.
Alor Pongsu to Ipoh Across the
Kerian River is the
Kerian district in Perak, where a new interchange with
route 147 at
Alor Pongsu is being constructed. The expressway then briefly winds eastwards, then southwards, to meet
Bukit Merah. The expressway continues directly southwards into
Larut, Matang dan Selama, interchanging again with route 1 as well as
3146 to the northwest of
Taiping. Gently, the expressway winds southeast towards
Changkat Jering, where it interchanges with
route 60. From here, the expressway heads east through a
cutting where the expressway and route 1 briefly run side by side. The route continues towards the district and town of
Kuala Kangsar, interchanging at the terminus of
route 76, which plies the rural areas of central northern Perak. At this point route 1 deviates northwards to go around a hill that is part of the
Tenasserim Hills cluster. The expressway proceeds towards the hill, going across the
Perak River below the
Sultan Azlan Shah Bridge. After the river the expressway goes uphill, through the
Menora Tunnel that is about long, then downhill into the
Kinta Valley. Here, the
Ipoh local-express system, constructed in 2008, begins, where all traffic bound for Ipoh or its vicinity is segregated. Southbound commuters entering the local lanes pay the toll/tap out of the ticket system at the Ipoh North Toll Plaza, while northbound motorists merging in from the local lanes collect the ticket/tap into the system. Proceeding southeast through the heart of Ipoh, the expressway's local lanes interchange with several local roads as well as route 1, which begins to run parallel to the expressway again. The system ends to the south of Tambun, where commuters on the southbound local lanes collect their tickets or tap into the system at the Ipoh South Toll Plaza, while northbound motorists entering the local lanes pay their tolls.
Simpang Pulai to Bukit Lanjan Leaving the city, the expressway bends southwest to close the gap between the two parallel routes, effectively interchanging with the route at
Simpang Pulai. Bending back southeast the expressway interchanges again with route 1 at the town of
Gopeng after crossing into the
Kampar district. The expressway then cuts through another hill, passing by
Gua Tempurung (a cave). The cutting ends in the
Batang Padang district just before the next interchange at
Tapah with
route 59, which connects directly to
Cameron Highlands. Heading southwards, the expressway interchanges with a local road at
Bidor. Further south within the same district, the expressway interchanges with route 1 thrice – at
Sungkai,
Slim River and
Behrang. While going southeast, the expressway crosses the
Bernam River into the state of
Selangor. Despite this, the next interchange, the final one with route 1, mainly serves
Tanjung Malim over in the previous state. From this point, route 1 leaves the vicinity of the expressway as the expressway goes southwards and the federal route goes southeast. The expressway interchanges with several rural roads at
Lembah Beringin,
Bukit Tagar, the
Bukit Beruntung industrial area and at
Sungai Buaya. Going southwards, the expressway leaves the
Hulu Selangor district into the
Gombak district, where it interchanges near the
Rawang industrial area with
route 3209. Shortly after, the
Guthrie Corridor Expressway (expressway 35) begins as an interchange on this expressway. On the last segment, the expressway interchanges with a road next to the Sungai Buloh Hospital, crosses into the
Petaling district, interchanges with the
Sungai Buloh Highway (route 54) at
Sungai Buloh, and finally terminates at its interchange with the
New Klang Valley Expressway (which is also designated the route number E1) near
Segambut in the north-western part of the Federal Territory
Kuala Lumpur.
Restricted routes for heavy vehicles As the route joins with the
New Klang Valley Expressway, a restricted route has been implemented on the North–South Expressway Northern Route between Sungai Buloh and Bukit Lanjan during workdays or peak hours. Heavy vehicles (except buses and tankers) with laden and unladen heavy vehicles weighing 10,000 kg or more are not allowed to enter the expressway between 6:30 am until 9:30 am on Monday to Friday (except public holidays). A compound fine will be issued to heavy vehicles which flout the rule. ==Speed limits==