SMART Tunnel

The Stormwater Management And Road Tunnel (SMART Tunnel), E38, is a storm drainage and road structure in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and a major national project in the country. The 9.7 km (6.0 mi) tunnel is the longest stormwater drainage tunnel in Southeast Asia and second longest in Asia.

Expressway 38
Stormwater Management And Road Tunnel
(SMART Tunnel)
Route information
Maintained by Syarikat Mengurus Air Banjir dan Terowong Sdn Bhd (SMART)
Length4 km (2 mi)
Existed2003–present
HistoryConstruction works started November 2003, and were completed in 2007
Major junctions
North endSultan Ismail–Kampung Pandan Link
Jalan Tun Razak
 Sultan Ismail–Kampung Pandan Link
Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 1 (Jalan Tun Razak)
Kuala Lumpur–Seremban Expressway
East–West Link Expressway
South endSMART Tunnel toll plaza near Sungai Besi Airport
Location
Primary
destinations		Bukit Bintang
Imbi
Cheras
Petaling Jaya
Seremban
Highway system
Stormwater Management And Road Tunnel
SMART Tunnel
Overview
LocationKuala Lumpur, Malaysia
StatusOperational
Route E38
StartJalan Tun Razak on Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 1
EndSungai Besi Airport on Kuala Lumpur–Seremban Expressway
Operation
Work begun2003
ConstructedGamuda Berhad
MMC Corporation Berhad
Opened2007
OwnerGovernment of Malaysia
Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM)
Department of Irrigation and Drainage Malaysia (JPS)
OperatorSyarikat Mengurus Air Banjir dan Terowong Sdn Bhd (SMART)
TollPrivate cars and taxis
Technical
Length4 km (2.5 mi)
No. of lanes4, double-decked
Operating speed60 km/h

The main objective of this tunnel is to solve the problem of flash floods in Kuala Lumpur and also to reduce traffic jams along Jalan Sungai Besi and Loke Yew flyover at Pudu during rush hour. There are two components of this tunnel, the stormwater tunnel and motorway tunnel. It is the longest multi-purpose tunnel in the world.

In 2011, the SMART tunnel received the UN Habitat Scroll of Honour Award for its innovative and unique management of storm water and peak hour traffic.

It begins at Kampung Berembang lake near Klang River at Ampang and ends at Taman Desa lake near Kerayong River at Salak South. The project is led by the government, including Malaysian Highway Authority (Lembaga Lebuhraya Malaysia, LLM) and the Department of Irrigation and Drainage Malaysia (Jabatan Pengairan dan Saliran, JPS) and also a company joint venture pact between Gamuda Berhad and Malaysian Mining Corporation Berhad (MMC).

Route background

The Kilometre Zero of the tunnel is located at Salak Interchange.

History

In 2001 the Government sought proposals for a solution that would allow a typical flood of three to six hours' duration to occur without flooding the city centre.[1] A tunnel that would allow floods to bypass the centre was one way of achieving this, providing it was coupled with temporary storage facilities to keep flows downstream of Kuala Lumpur within the capacity of the river channel. A group led by Gamuda engaged SSP, a large Malaysian consultant engineering firm, and Mott MacDonald UK to develop proposals for a tunnel with holding ponds at upstream and downstream ends of the tunnel.

Construction of the tunnel began on 25 November 2003. Two Herrenknecht Tunnel Boring Machines (TBM) from Germany were used, including Tuah on north side and Gemilang on south side. Gusztáv Klados was the senior project manager of the project.[2]

On 11 December 2003, the 13.2-m diameter Mixshield TBM, Tuah, completed a 737-m section after 24 weeks of excavation. By the end of January 2004, Tuah would start a second drive covering a distance of 4.5 km to Kampung Berembang lake. The motorway sections on the SMART system was officially opened at 3:00PM, 14 May 2007, after multiple delays.[3][4]

Meanwhile, the stormwater sections on the SMART system began operations at the end of January 2007.

By 18 July 2010 the SMART system had prevented seven potentially disastrous flash floods in the city centre,[5] having entered its first mode 3 operation only weeks after the opening of the motorway.[6]

As of September 2020, the tunnel had activated its fourth mode for the seventh time. During the flash flood on 10 September 2020, the tunnel diverted three million cubic metres of water.[7][8]

Functioning
SMART tunnel entrance along Jalan Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The first mode, under normal conditions where there is no storm, no flood water will be diverted into the system. When the second mode is activated, flood water is diverted into the bypass tunnel underneath the motorway tunnel. The motorway section is still open to traffic at this stage. When the third mode is in operation, the motorway will be closed to all traffic. After making sure all vehicles have exited the motorway, automated water-tight gates will be opened to allow flood waters to pass through. After the flood has ended, the tunnel is verified and cleaned via pressure-washing, and the motorway will be reopened to traffic within 48 hours of closure.[9]

Technical specifications
The north bound entrance of SMART Tunnel on the Kuala Lumpur–Seremban Expressway

Stormwater tunnel
  • Construction cost: RM1,887 million (US$514.6 million)
  • Stormwater tunnel length: 9.7 km (6.0 mi)
  • Diameter: 13.2 m (43.3 ft) (outer diameter)
  • Tunnelling method: Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM)
  • TBM type: Slurry shield

Motorway tunnel
  • Motorway tunnel length: 4 km (2.5 mi)
  • Structure type: Double Deck
  • Ingress and egress: 1.5 km (0.93 mi) at Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan Imbi
  • Length: 1.4 km (0.87 mi) at Jalan Tun Razak
  • Links: 1.6 km (0.99 mi) at Kuala Lumpur–Seremban Expressway Links: City Centre near Kg. Pandan Roundabout KL–Seremban Expressway near Sungai Besi Airport

Features
  • World's First Dual-Function Tunnel (Stormwater Management & Road)
  • Longest tunnel in Malaysia
  • 9.7 km (6.03 miles) stormwater by-pass tunnel
  • 4 km (2.49 miles) double-deck motorway within stormwater tunnel
  • The motorway tunnel is suitable for light vehicles only. Motorcycles and heavy vehicles are not allowed
  • Ingress and egress connections to the motorway tunnel linking the southern gateway to the city centre
  • Holding basin complete with diversion and tunnel intake structures
  • Storage reservoir and a twin-box culvert to release flood discharge
  • State-of-the-art operations control room equipped with the latest systems in operations management, surveillance and maintenance of the SMART system.
  • Custom-made fire engine units consisting of two modified Toyota Hilux pickup trucks, parked at two different locations for quick access to the tunnel in case of fire on both carriageways.[10]

Tolls

The SMART Tunnel motorway using opened toll systems. All toll transactions at this toll plaza is only allowed with Touch 'n Go cards or SmartTAG.

Toll rates
ClassType of vehiclesRate
(in Malaysian ringgit (RM))		Notes
1Private Cars
(Vehicles with two axles and three or four wheels (excluding taxis))		RM 3.00
4TaxisRM 3.00Toll charges are paid by passengers using Touch 'n Go only.

Toll charges can only be paid with the Touch 'n Go cards or SmartTAG. Cash payment is not accepted.

FM radio channels available
RadioFrequencies
Nasional FM87.7 MHz
KL FM97.2 MHz
Radio Klasik FM95.3 MHz
Hot FM97.6 MHz
Fly FM95.8 MHz
hitz.fm92.9 MHz
Traxx FM90.3 MHz
BFM 89.989.9 MHz
Era FM103.3 MHz

List of interchanges

The entire expressway had its speed limit of 60 km/h.

Legend:

kmExitInterchangeToRemarks

0		 East–West Link Expressway

Southeast
Cheras

Northwest
Petaling Jaya
Shah Alam		Direction Y junctions
Kuala Lumpur–Seremban Expressway
ANIH Berhad border limit
SMART Tunnel
(Touch 'n Go and SmartTAG ETC only)
SMART border limit
SMART Tunnel operation office TnG TAG
Customer Service Centre
SMART Tunnel operation office 		South bound on Cheras, Petaling Jaya and Shah Alam stretches only
SMART toll plaza
Accepts electronic toll payment (Touch 'n Go and SmartTAG only)
Motorway Tunnel
Dry sections
Start/End of tunnel
Maximum height 2 m
Speed limit 60 km/h
From/To Motorway tunnel

From/to E37 Kuala Lumpur–Seremban Expressway
kmExitInterchangeToRemarks
South
Kuala Lumpur–Seremban Expressway
Kompleks Sukan Negara
Klang
North–South Expressway Southern Route
Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA)
Seremban
Melaka
Johor Bahru
Kuala Lumpur–Seremban Expressway
ANIH Berhad border limit
SMART Tunnel
(Touch 'n Go and SmartTAG ETC only)
SMART border limit

0
SMART toll plaza
Accepts electronic toll payment (Touch 'n Go and SmartTAG only)
Motorway Tunnel
Dry sections
Start/End of tunnel
Maximum height 2 m
Speed limit 60 km/h
From/To Motorway tunnel

Motorway tunnel
kmExitInterchangeToRemarks
Motorway Tunnel
Dry sections
Start/End of tunnel
Maximum height 2 m
Speed limit 60 km/h
EXIT 3801Motorway Tunnel
Dry sections
Tunnel exit south bound		EXIT 3801A
SMART Tunnel Operation Office
East–West Link Expressway
Cheras
Petaling Jaya
Shah Alam

EXIT 3801B
Kuala Lumpur–Seremban Expressway
Kompleks Sukan Negara
Klang
North–South Expressway Southern Route
Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA)
Seremban
Melaka
Johor Bahru		Tunnel Interchange
Motorway Tunnel
Conversion from dry to wet
Motorway Tunnel
Wet sections
Motorway Tunnel
Conversion from wet to dry
EXIT 3802Motorway Tunnel
Dry sections
Tunnel exit north bound		EXIT 3802A
Sultan Ismail Link Tunnel
Jalan Davis
Kuala Lumpur Inner Ring Road
Jalan Imbi
Jalan Sultan Ismail
Jalan Bukit Bintang

EXIT 3802B
Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 1
Jalan Tun Razak (Jalan Pekeliling)
Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC)
Ampang		Tunnel Interchange
Lower floor
Motorway Tunnel
Dry sections
Start/End of tunnel
Maximum height 2 m
Speed limit 60 km/h
SMART Tunnel
Start/End of expressway
(Touch 'n Go and SmartTAG ETC only)
SMART border limit
Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 1
DBKL border limit
North
Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 1
Jalan Tun Razak (Jalan Pekeliling)
Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC)
Ampang
kmExitInterchangeToRemarks
EXIT 3802Sultan Ismail link tunnel
Dry sections
Tunnel entry south bound		Motorway Tunnel
Cheras
Petaling Jaya
Kompleks Sukan Negara
Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA)
Seremban
Melaka
Johor Bahru		Tunnel Interchange
Upper floor
Motorway Tunnel
Dry sections
Start/End of tunnel
Maximum height 2 m
Speed limit 60 km/h
SMART Tunnel
Start/End of expressway
(Touch 'n Go and SmartTAG ETC only)
SMART border limit
Jalan Davis
DBKL border limit
NorthWest
Sultan Ismail–Kampung Pandan Link (Jalan Davis)
Kuala Lumpur Inner Ring Road
Jalan Imbi
Jalan Sultan Ismail
Jalan Bukit Bintang

See also

References
  1. A Dual-Purpose Tunnel, Ingenia 30, March 2007
  2. THE ROLE OF GUSZTÁV KLADOS
  3. Utusan Malaysia Online - Berita Utama
  4. Malaysian National News Agency :: BERNAMA Archived 19 May 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  5. New Straits Times: Smart tunnel working well
  6. MegaStructures SMART tunnel episode
  7. YING, VEENA BABULAL and TEOH PEI (12 September 2020). "KL flash flood: 'Smart Tunnel mitigated situation' | New Straits Times". NST Online. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  8. "SMART Tunnel reopened to traffic | The Star". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  9. Success of Kuala Lumpur's dual purpose tunnel. ITS International. Online at http://www.itsinternational.com/categories/detection-monitoring-machine-vision/features/success-of-kuala-lumpurs-dual-purpose-tunnel/
  10. Custom-Built Fire Engines for SMART Highway Delivered to the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department Archived 4 January 2008 at the Wayback Machine - from SMART Tunnel official website

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