KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 16 — Beginning October 23, PLUS Malaysia Berhad (PLUS) plans to introduce a SmartLane Test Initiative manually to overcome traffic congestion along the Setia Alam route to the Shah Alam Toll Plaza exit.

PLUS chief operating officer Zakaria Ahmad Zabidi said in a statement issued today that the company also planned to implement Intelligent Transport System (ITS) technology and strengthen SmartLane’s electronic initiative.

"Both initiatives are aimed at optimising the use of all lanes to help ease traffic flow and reduce congestion by 30 to 40 per cent at the Setia Alam to Shah Alam route on the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE) in morning peak hours.

"The SmartLane system testing will be conducted from KM3.2 to KM9.2 (Northbound) from 6.30am to 9.30am on Monday to Friday. During the peak period, the existing space on the left would be opened as an additional temporary route to increase lane capacity and help streamline traffic flow,” he said the statement.

The first phase of the SmartLane implementation will operate manually based on the road signs installed along the route and the second phase is expected to operate in the second quarter of 2020 using the full ITS System technology to enable PLUS to run traffic more efficiently.

The statement also stated that PLUS had made various preparations prior to carrying out the initiative by placing police and PLUSRonda personnel at the site, installing traffic signs, providing additional towing trucks at strategic locations and providing emergency stops at KM5.6.

The SmartLane initiative also has the support and cooperation of the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM), the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) and the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS). — Bernama