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Malaysia Federal Route 55

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Federal Route 55 shield}}
Federal Route 55
Jalan Kuala Kubu Bharu–Teranum–Raub
Jalan Pahang (Kuala Kubu Bharu)
Route information
Length62 km (39 mi)
Existed1887[1]–present
Major junctions
West endKuala Kubu Bharu, Selangor
Major intersections FT 1 Federal Route 1
FT 56 Jalan Bukit Fraser
FT 148 Jalan Bukit Fraser 2
FT 218 Federal Route 218
East endTeranum, Raub District, Pahang
Location
CountryMalaysia
Primary
destinations
Kuala Kubu Bharu
Peretak
Fraser's Hill
Teranum
Teras
Raub
Highway system

Federal Route 55 or Jalan Kuala Kubu Bharu–Teranum–Raub (also called Jalan Pahang in Kuala Kubu Bharu) is a 62-km federal road connecting the states of Selangor and Pahang in Malaysia. It is the first federal road ever constructed in Pahang.[1] The road connects Kuala Kubu Bharu, Selangor to Teranum near Raub in Pahang where it meets Federal Route 218. It is the main access route to Fraser's Hill.[2]

Route background

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The Kilometre Zero of the Federal Route 55 is located at Kuala Kubu Bharu, Selangor, at its intersection with the Federal Route 1, the main trunk road of the central of Peninsular Malaysia. After passing Kuala Kubu Bharu town centre, it runs along the eastern circumference of the Selangor Dam. Shortly after passing the Selangor Dam, the road becomes winding as it ascends the Titiwangsa Range until its intersection with the uphill road to Fraser's Hill at The Gap on the Selangor–Pahang state border.

Then, the road descends downhill, running in parallel with the Teranum River until Teranum where it intersects with Malaysia Federal Route 218.[3]

As the road winds through mountainous terrain, it is often prone to landslides which result in partial or total closures of the section between Kuala Kubu Bharu and Teranum.

History

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First East-West Road

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Built in the 1887, Federal Route 55 is the earliest federal road to be constructed in Pahang and the first road over the Titiwangsa Range or Main Range through the pass at The Gap, linking the West Coast of Peninsula Malaysia with the East Coast. It was constructed as an 80-mile bridle track from Kuala Kubu Bharu to Kuala Lipis known as the Kuala Kubu–Kuala Lipis Road. In 1915, a road was constructed from Teranum to Bentong, forming the southern pioneer route for the Federal Route 8.

In 1919, work started on the access road to the hill station from The Gap and by 1922, the hill station named Fraser's Hill was opened to visitors. The road is now designated as Federal Route 56.

The entire roadway was upgraded and paved in 1928 with the specific cost of RM2,004 per mile (or RM1,237 per kilometre), which was considered as the most expensive road project at that time.[1]

During the Malayan Emergency, Sir Henry Gurney, a British High Commissioner in Malaya, was assassinated by the Malayan Communist Party terrorists at Mile 56 ½, Kuala Kubu Road on 7 October 1951, on his way to Fraser's Hill.[4] The communist terrorists ambushed his Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith and shot him to death. His remains were buried at the Cheras Road Christian Cemetery (now Cheras War Cemetery) at Jalan Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.[4][5] A memorial signboard was later erected by Malaysian Public Works Department at the site of the incident (location: 3.673596,101.747346 ).[6]

The portion of the Kuala Kubu–Kuala Lipis Road from Teranum to Raub, together with the road from Teranum to Bentong, became part of Federal Route 8 before they were bypassed by a new, straighter super two road through FELDA Lurah Bilut.[7] There after, the bypassed old road between Bentong and Raub including the section between Teranum and Raub was re-gazetted to become the new Federal Route 218.[8]

At the end of the 1990s, a new water dam known as the Sungai Selangor Dam was constructed to cater to the increasing water demand in the Klang Valley. During construction, a 7.7-km super two road was built to replace the existing roadway at the Sungai Selangor Dam construction site. Construction started in 2001 and was completed in 2003. This road has two bridges, the Sungai Selangor bridge and the Sungai Peretak bridge.[9]

List of junctions and towns

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km Exit Junctions To Remarks
FT 55
0
Kuala Kubu Bharu
Kuala Kubu Bharu-Federal Route 1 Junction
North
FT 1 Federal Route 1
Tanjung Malim
Slim River
Ipoh
Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI)
Sabak Bernam via B44
Tanjung Malim Interchange for North–South Expressway Northern Route AH2 North–South Expressway Northern Route

West
Jalan Stesen Keretapi
Kuala Kubu Bharu railway station

South
FT 1 Federal Route 1
Rasa
Batang Kali
Rawang
Kuala Lumpur
Signalised crossroads
Kuala Kubu Bharu Rest and Service Area
Malaysian Road Transport Department (JPJ) district branch office
Kuala Kubu Bharu
Taman Teratai Taman Arif
North
Taman Teratai
Taman Arif
T-junction
Kuala Kubu Bharu
Kampung Kelapa
South
Kampung Kelapa
T-junction
Kuala Kubu Bharu
Jalan Tun Salleh Ismail
North
Jalan Tun Salleh Ismail
T-junction
Sungai Kubu bridge
Kuala Kubu Bharu
Jalan Syed Masyor
North
Jalan Syed Masyor
Hospital Kuala Kubu Bharu
Perpustakaan Syed Masahor (Hulu Selangor District Library)
T-junction
Masjid Jamek Al-Rahimiah
Stadium Mini Kuala Kubu Bharu
Majlis Daerah Hulu Selangor (MDHS) headquarters Majlis Daerah Hulu Selangor (MDHS) headquarters
Monument of Kuala Kubu Tragedy
Kuala Kubu Bharu
Jalan Merdeka
North
Jalan Merdeka
Town Centre
Kuala Kubu Bharu Post Office
T-junction
Kuala Kubu Bharu
Jalan Ampang Pechah
North
Jalan Bukit Kerajaan
Government offices
Hulu Selangor District and Land Offices
Kuala Kubu Bharu Magistrate Court

South
B54 Jalan Ampang Pechah
Ampang Pechah
(Site of the original Kuala Kubu)
Rasa
Kuala Lumpur
Darul Quran Jakim
Signalised crossroads
Hindu Temple
Kuala Kubu Bharu
Jalan Kubu
North
Jalan Kubu
Town Centre
Hulu Selangor District Police Headquarters
T-junction
Malaysian Public Works Department (JKR) Hulu Selangor District Headquarters
Sungai Kubu bridge
Kampung Asam Kumbang
Jalan Tengah
North
Jalan Tengah

Kampung Asam Kumbang (Kuala Kubu Bharu New Village)
T-junction
Taman Bukit Bunga North
Taman Bukit Bunga
T-junction
Kuala Kubu Bharu Ranger Office
Sungai Kelempung bridge
Taman Selesa North
Taman Selesa
Start/end of narrow roads
Kampung Gerachi North
Jalan Baru Kampung Gerachi
Kampung Gerachi
T-junction
Sungai Selangor bridge
Start/end of dual carriageway
Sungai Selangor Dam Sungai Selangor Dam
North
Splash visitor centre
V
T-junction
Start/end of dual carriageway
Sungai Peretak bridge
Kampung Peretak East
Jalan Baru Kampung Peretak
Kampung Peretak
T-junction
Start/end of narrow roads
Sungai Chilling bridge Old bridge
Historical site
Sungai Chilling waterfalls Sungai Chilling waterfalls
Sungai Chilling Fish Sanctuary
V
Sungai Gumut waterfalls Sungai Gumut waterfalls
Sungai Chilling Fish Sanctuary
V
Sungai Gumut bridge
Sir Henry Gurney's murder site Sir Henry Gurney's murder site
Historical site during Malayan Emergency (1948-1960)
not marked
The Gap Public Toilet Dismantled
The Gap Pedestrian Suspension Bridge Abandoned
The Gap Rest House Abandoned
The Gap Pedestrian Suspension Bridge Abandoned
The Gap "Welcome to Selangor" Arch
The Gap
Fraser's Hill Junction
North
FT 56 Jalan Bukit Fraser
Fraser's Hill
Fraser's Hill-bound only
T-junction
Selangor Darul Ehsan
Hulu Selangor district border
Pahang-Selangor border *
Pahang Darul Makmur
Raub district border
The Gap Layby
The Gap
Fraser's Hill Downhill Road Junction
North
FT 148 Jalan Bukit Fraser 2
Exit only
No entry
T-junction
Sungai Teranum bridge
Sungai Teranum bridge
Kampung Sungai Terong Manis
Teranum Police Station East
Access Road
T-junction
Teranum
Old Bentong-Raub Road junction
North
FT 218 Old Bentong-Raub Road
Teras
Raub via FT 8
Kuala Lipis via FT 8
Kota Bharu via FT 8
Bentong via FT 8

East
FT 218 Old Bentong-Raub Road
Kampung Sungai Chetang
Sang Lee
Kampung Sungai Penjuring
Bentong via FT 8
Bentong East Interchange via FT 8 for East Coast Expressway FT 2 AH141 Kuala Lumpur–Karak Expressway/East Coast Expressway
T-junction

* Note: The Pahang-Selangor border runs along the Titiwangsa drainage divide to the east of the archway then proceeds along the middle of the road before proceeding up the hill slope from the point between sentry hut and the road to Teranum at The Gap-Fraser's Hill Road junction.

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Roads in Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian Ministry of Works. 2011. p. 16. ISBN 978-967-5399-17-6.
  2. ^ "Statistik Jalan (Edisi 2013)". Statistik Jalan. Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian Public Works Department: 16–64. 2013. ISSN 1985-9619.
  3. ^ Inventori Rangkaian Jalan Utama Persekutuan Semenanjung Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian Ministry of Works. 2009. ISBN 978-983-44278-2-5.
  4. ^ a b "Pembunuhan Sir Henry Gurney". Hari Ini Dalam Sejarah (in Malay). National Archives of Malaysia. 1951-10-07. Archived from the original on 2015-11-17. Retrieved 2015-09-02.
  5. ^ Slain British Officer Buried
  6. ^ "Memartabatkan jalan raya melalui tugu peringatan". Blog Jalan Raya Malaysia. 2015-01-26. Retrieved 2015-09-02.
  7. ^ "Blog Jalan Raya Malaysia @ Cameron Highlands 2013 Part 1: Jalan Persekutuan 8 (Bentong-Raub)". 2013-06-27. Retrieved 2015-08-10.
  8. ^ Inventori Rangkaian Jalan Utama Persekutuan Semenanjung Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian Ministry of Works. 2009. pp. 470–471. ISBN 978-983-44278-2-5.
  9. ^ Mokhtar Jaafar; et al. "Indeks Kualiti Air (IKA) Sg. Selangor pasca pembinaan Empangan Sg. Selangor" (PDF). Geografia - Malaysian Journal of Society and Space (in Malay) (3): 68–75. Retrieved 1 September 2015.