KUANTAN: Traffic bottlenecks at certain sections along the toll-free four-lane dual-carriageway Central Spine Road (CSR) forced motorists to endure horrendous traffic crawls during the recent Hari Raya Aidilfitri holidays.
The expressway was clogged with vehicles making a beeline before and after the festive holidays, with major traffic congestion reported at the Bentong (heading towards the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway) and Raub exit ramps.
The 45.3km CSR stretch was supposed to cut the travel time between Bentong and Raub from some two hours on the federal road to just 30 minutes, without travelling into Bentong and Raub towns.
However, many motorists were left fuming after being caught for hours along the congested route.
Pahang Public Works, Transport and Health Committee chairman Razali Kassim said the traffic crawl along the CSR was unavoidable during the peak season especially when approaching the exit ramps.
"Traffic was slow moving near the Raub bypass as the vehicles had to exit the expressway and resume their journey along the federal road to Padang Tengku in Lipis. The CSR stretch between Raub and Padang Tengku is still under construction.
"The traffic light junction near the Raub bypass (exiting CSR) and single carriageway Jalan Raub-Lip resulted in slow-moving traffic. Motorists travelling to Merapoh and Gua Musang (Kelantan) will re-enter the CSR at Padang Tengku (Lipis)
"Slow-moving traffic at the Bentong toll plaza (heading towards Kuala Lumpur) along the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway (KLK) was due to the huge volume of vehicles travelling from the CSR exit ramp in Bentong (near the Bentong Mara Junior Science College) and East Coast Expressway," he said.
When asked if the CSR, connecting Kuala Krai in Kelantan to the KLK will ensure smooth balik kampung rides upon completion in 2026, Razali said it would be best to adopt a "wait-and-see" approach.
"The expressway is already popular because it is toll-free and upon completion, we expect more road users to use the stretch." This year, more than 1.6 million vehicles entered Pahang during Aidilfitri towards Kelantan and Terengganu.
"The CSR is only congested at peak seasons, especially during school holidays or festive seasons. On a usual day, road users are assured of a smooth journey along the expressway without any delays," he said.
Many road users took to social media to vent their frustration on the long hours spent on CSR despite the expressway being often described as providing convenience and better accessibility for motorists to the east coast.
Meanwhile, Padang Tengku assemblyman Datuk Mustapa Long said the opening of two rest stops between Bentong and Raub of the CSR, and near Kampung Kechau Tui in Lipis could see more vehicles using the stretch.
"Once the entire stretch is completed (Bentong to Gua Musang), it will offer a better driving experience and smooth traffic flow.
"The rest areas will allow motorists to take short breaks before resuming their journey, similar to other major highways in the country," he said.
Last week, Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said that suitable sites were identified to build two rest stops along the CSR.
In 2021, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who then served as the Senior Works Minister, said the 299.4km CSR will be fully completed in 2026.