PETALING JAYA, Aug 24 — The West Coast Expressway (WCE) is expected to spur economic and logistics growth in northern Selangor, especially in Tanjong Karang and Sungai Besar, while providing a more efficient alternative for long-haul traffic between Selangor and Perak, said WCE Holdings Bhd chief executive officer Lyndon Alfred Felix.
He said the highway would improve connectivity between northern Selangor and the Klang Valley, with the completed route expected to significantly reduce travel times.
He added that this could encourage more people to live in northern Selangor while commuting to work elsewhere in the state.
“Once the WCE is complete, commuters can actually travel from Tanjong Karang to Klang within half an hour. That means it will cut travel time by almost half,” he told reporters after WCE Holdings’s annual general meeting at Crystal Plaza here today.
Lyndon said the improved connectivity could, in turn, stimulate economic activity and encourage the development of new townships and housing along the state’s northern corridor.
On August 21, Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari said WCE is expected to be a major catalyst in bridging the development gap between rural and urban areas, especially in northern Selangor.
He said the extension of the expressway to Tanjong Karang could shorten travel times and unlock the potential of the northern region.
Lyndon added that WCE was designed to be a logistics corridor serving both Selangor and Perak, with its flatter alignment and proximity to major ports offering advantages over the North-South Expressway (PLUS).
“Ultimately, WCE will serve as a critical infrastructure spine, not just for logistics, but also for economic development.”
He added that WCE’s Section 7 (Assam Jawa to Tanjong Karang) would be especially important in strengthening the Selangor-Perak link, allowing WCE to serve as a viable alternative for motorists travelling north from the Klang Valley.
“Once Section 7 is ready, I think we can really position ourselves as a good alternative. Someone wanting to travel up north from Klang Valley will have a real, viable option.
“If you were to look at the existing old federal road now, you can see there’s a lot of traffic, and the hope is that this traffic will migrate to ours, so the potential is there,” Lyndon said.
