The Sungai Besi-Ulu Kelang Elevated Expressway (SUKE) has been officially launched by senior works minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who announced that the new highway will be open to the public at noon tomorrow (September 16).
For now, the fully-completed Phase 1 will be accessible. This 16.6 km long stretch spans from the unmissable signature Cheras-Kajang interchange to Bukit Antarabangsa.
The portion from Sri Petaling and Kesas (where Endah Parade is) to Cheras-Kajang will open at a later date.
The toll fare for the SUKE highway has yet to be announced, however passage is toll-free for one month from its opening tomorrow. The SUKE has three toll plazas – Alam Damai, Bukit Teratai and Ampang. The latter two are in the first phase that is now open.
SUKE has 14 interchanges along its 24.4 km main line length (57.7 km if one includes all the interchanges), and these are Sri Petaling, Sungai Besi, Alam Damai, Cheras-Kajang, Cheras-Hartamas, Bukit Teratai, Tasik Tambahan, Permai, Kosas, Pekan Ampang, Ampang Point, Ulu Kelang, Hillview and Bukit Antarabangsa. As mentioned, the stretch that is now open is from Cheras-Kajang (on the Grand Saga, near Plaza Phoenix) to Bukit Antarabangsa.
The MRR2 alternative is linked to the said ring road, Kesas (at Sri Petaling), KL-Seremban Highway, Sungai Besi Expressway (Besraya), Grand Saga, Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway (AKLEH) and the Duta-Ulu Kelang Expressway (DUKE). The future East Klang Valley Expressway (EKVE) will also be linked.
Concessionaire Prolintas (which also has AKLEH, Guthrie, LKSA and the upcoming DASH in its highway portfolio) says that SUKE is an effective traffic dispersal solution for the eastern part of KL that is projected to relieve traffic on the MRR2 by 30%, Jalan Ampang by 36% and Jalan Loke Yew by 12% during peak hours.