PLUS activates Smart Lanes at 34 locations ahead of Hari Raya travel
PLUS Malaysia Berhad expects traffic along its highways to increase significantly during the Hari Raya Aidilfitri festive period, with daily traffic volume projected to reach up to 2.3 million vehicles on peak travel days. The busiest days are expected to fall on 18, 19, 20, 27, 28 and 29 March, representing an estimated 21% increase compared to normal daily traffic.
To manage the surge in traffic, PLUS will implement several measures aimed at improving traffic flow and ensuring a smoother journey for motorists. Among the key initiatives is the use of the MyPLUS-TTA digital travel schedule, which motorists are encouraged to follow when planning their journeys. Available through the PLUS mobile application, the schedule is based on travel pattern analysis from previous festive seasons and helps motorists select more suitable travel times to reduce congestion along the highway.
PLUS will also activate Smart Lanes at 34 strategic locations along the North-South Expressway. These lanes allow temporary use of the emergency lane during peak congestion periods and can be identified through warning signs and flashing green lights installed at the designated locations. Motorists are reminded to only use these lanes when they are officially activated and to follow traffic instructions for safety.
In Johor, PLUS will open three additional lanes along a 3km stretch between Simpang Renggam and Sedenak (KM445.1 to KM442.5 southbound) from 18 March to 5 April. The temporary opening is intended to help ease traffic flow through the ongoing highway widening project during the festive travel period.
More than 6,000 personnel will also be deployed across the highway network to assist motorists and ensure smooth operations. The workforce includes toll plaza staff, PLUSRonda patrol teams, personnel at the Traffic Monitoring Centre, Emergency Response Teams (ERT), RELA members and maintenance crews.
To further improve convenience, PLUS has upgraded facilities at more than 60 locations, including rest and service areas (R&R), lay-bys and toll plazas. A total of 25 portable cabin toilets will also be placed at selected toll plazas and lay-bys during the festive period. In addition, lighting infrastructure along the highway has been upgraded with over 37,000 conventional road lamps replaced with LED lighting.
Motorists are advised to plan their journeys early, ensure their vehicles are in good condition before travelling and follow traffic regulations throughout the festive season. PLUS also reminds road users to park only at designated parking areas when stopping at R&R areas, toll plazas or lay-bys to avoid disrupting traffic flow.
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