West Ipoh Span Expressway (WISE) now estimated to cost RM6.2b, from RM5.75b, but no public funds used

The West Ipoh Span Expressway (WISE) – which will span 60.88km from Gopeng to Kuala Kangsar, bypassing the PLUS North South Highway’s Menora Tunnel – is now estimated to cost RM6.2 billion instead of RM5.75 billion, according to the project’s concessionaire, East Coast Road (ECR).

Despite the extra estimated cost of RM450 million, the latest figure remains a preliminary estimate and may be subject to further changes, said ECR director Any Arope Zainal Abidin at the handover ceremony of the concession agreement on Wednesday, reported by The Edge. The 55-year concession agreement for the highway was inked between the government and ECR in September.

As this is a private finance initiative (PFI), the government will bear no cost and public funds will not be used. “Among the prerequisites the company must meet is to finance the development cost and obtain approval from the (Perak) state government or relevant local authority,” said works minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi.

“In this regard, I call for all parties, such as financial institutions, the state of Perak, local authorities and others to give the appropriate support and cooperation to make this project a success for the sake and benefit of the rakyat,” he said, adding that construction of the WISE will take four years.

The toll rate is 23 sen per km over the entire 55-year concession period, which includes the four-year construction period. “This toll rate setting method is unique because it is the first of its kind in the country and ensures the highway’s users benefit because there will be no increase in the rakyat’s expenses for a long period of time,” Alexander said.

In 2022, the Perak state government approved the proposal for the bypass road, which is also described as an effort to reduce the risk of deadly accidents. The steep descend from the Menora Tunnel to the Ipoh toll has seen its fair share of accidents through the years.

“If stuck due to an accident in the tunnel or below (the trunk road), people will have no option. But with WISE, they can exit at Kuala Kangsar and head straight to Gopeng (to continue to the PLUS), or exit at Changkat Jering and take the West Coast Expressway,” Perak menteri besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said earlier this year.

Alexander said that WISE is expected to reduce congestion along the PLUS by 40%. “The Wise alignment provides an alternative route for users of the Menora Tunnel, who face congestion caused by a high number of heavy vehicles. This is based on the hilly profile and topography in Gopeng-Kuala Kangsar area, the PLUS which slows down the movement of heavy vehicles and further affects the flow of traffic, especially at peak times,” he said.

The WISE is set to be completed in 2028. Those who travel to and from the north, what do you think of this new highway? By the way, WISE will use multi-lane free flow (MLFF), concessionaire ECR says.

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