KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 3): The 20.7km Setiawangsa-Pantai Expressway (SPE) will be officially open in its entirety to motorists at 11.59pm on Friday .
This comes as the previously unopened 16.3km stretch of Sections 1 to 3 — from Kerinchi to Setiawangsa — of the highway to be open.
A 4.4km Section 4 — stretching from Setiawangsa and Taman Melawati — has been open since December 2021.
According to Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi, who officiated the highway’s official launch, toll charges at the three toll plazas — namely Chan Sow Lin, Ampang and Setiawangsa — situated on the stretch, will be exempted until Dec 2.
After the one-month period, cars will be charged the highway’s toll rate of RM3.50.
With the highway fully opened, Alexander said it is expected to be used by 100,000 vehicles daily.
"The SPE connects with several other highways, such as the SPRINT, AKLEH, DUKE and MRR2, and will increase efficiency of the network and reduce congestion in Kuala Lumpur," he added.
The concessionaire of the SPE is Lebuhraya DUKE Fasa 3 Sdn Bhd (DUKE 3) — a wholly-owned unit of Ekovest Bhd.
Shares in Ekovest ended half a sen or 1.05% higher at 48 sen, giving the group a market capitalisation of RM1.41 billion.