Travelling up to Perak for the Hari Raya Aidilfitri holidays? Good news, because an extension linking the West Coast Expressway (WCE) to the Federal Highway and North Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE) is set to open imminently, slashing several minutes from your journey. According to Berita Harian, Section 4 of the highway will be launched by works minister Alexander Nanta Linggi next week, March 18, said WCE strategic communications general director Syed Mohammed Idid. The 4.5 km stretch will connect motorists from Klang, Shah Alam and Petaling Jaya, enabling easier and smoother access to the northern route. Section 4 spans from the Federal Highway and NKVE elevated interchange to the one at the Grand Sepadu Highway (NNKSB) 1, bypassing the latter. Syed Mohammed touted this as the strategic “missing link”, connecting the network of major highways in the area. “The opening of this stretch will help reduce traffic congestion on the local roads around Klang and Shah Alam, especially during peak hours,” he said yesterday. With Section 4 in place, the travel time between Meru/Kapar and the Federal Highway will be shortened from 20 minutes to just ten during rush hour. “This stretch will involve a U-turn so that users heading north can continue using [the WCE] without entering through Setia Alam,” Syed Mohammed added. The opening of Section 4 will come not a moment too soon, as the WCE expects 215,000 road users during the Raya season, up from 160,000 during the recent Chinese New Year holidays. Its launch, Syed Mohammed said, will strengthen the highway’s role as a catalyst for economic growth in Selangor’s western corridor, particularly in the industrial, commercial and support services sectors. Section 1 and 2 of the WCE from Banting will continue to be disconnected from the rest of the highway from the Shah Alam Expressway (SAE) to the Federal Highway and NKVE. This is because of the delay of Section 3 due to a land acquisition dispute, in which 19 residents refused to vacate a 150-metre area in Kampung Jawa, halting completion at 93%. However, the issue was resolved after a court ordered the residents to vacate their premises, with demolition works occurring late last year, paving the way for construction to be resumed, the New Straits Times reported. Section 3’s completion now stands at 96%. Compare prices between different insurer providers to save the most on your car insurance renewal compared to other competing services. Many payment method supported and you can pay with instalment using Atome, Grab PayLater or Shopee SPayLater.