SMART tunnel (Malaysia)


The unfortunate location of Kuala Lumpur at the intersection of the two rivers twice a year led to the fact that the actively developing capital of Malaysia was submerged. After that, the city counted the losses for several months. The situation was saved in 2007, when the first in the world and in Malaysia SMART dual-purpose tunnel was built here, which was designed to unload the riverbed during peak periods.

Tunnel construction

In the construction of the SMART tunnel in Malaysia, private construction companies, as well as the State Department of Reclamation and Motorway Management, took part. The total cost of the project was $ 440 million (1.9 billion Malaysian ringgit). The total length of the tunnel was 9.7 km.

During the planning and land management works, the sinkers encountered a great complexity of the ground - a crumbling chalky rock that threatened with the collapse of skyscrapers in the center, and granite, which had to be drilled literally in millimeters. But, despite all the problems, the tunnel was put into operation 3 years after the first stone was laid.

How is the clever tunnel arranged?

The abbreviation SMART, or "smart", stands for Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel. Its unique design, consisting of 3 levels, is designed for the simultaneous transportation of vehicles and excess river water. The two upper floors are one-way motorways, and the lower one is almost always filled with water.

During torrential rains and typhoons, frequent visitors to Malaysia, when two unsightly streams turn into uncontrolled masses of water, a tunnel located just under the center of the city saves thousands of lives:

  1. In a few minutes, cars passing through the tunnel are urgently evacuated.
  2. The 32-ton gates are closed on both sides, and water from the lower tier freely enters the upper floors. The design is thought out to the smallest detail, because the mass of water and its pressure are truly enormous.
  3. After filling the tunnel with water, its fillability is controlled by special sensors and video cameras. Gateways are opening, diverting water to the water basin, and then into two reservoirs in the south and north of the city. Thus, the capital is not threatened by another flood.
  4. When the flood threat is over, the water quickly leaves the tunnel, and within 48 hours, cleaning works are carried out there. After that, the tunnel is ready for operation again.

During its existence, the tunnel was used more than 200 times for its intended purpose, so that it justified the money spent.

How to get to the SMART tunnel in Malaysia?

You can enter the tunnel both from the south and from the north of Kuala Lumpur . To get to it, for example, from the airport , it will take only 21 minutes, and the distance will be 24.5 km. It is necessary to follow the road number 15 via Jalan Lapangan Terbang, and then drive to Lebuhraya Persekutuan on the road number 2. It should be borne in mind that the travel time on the tunnel will be only 4 minutes. The road is paid, therefore at the entrance payment is withdrawn - 3 ringgit ($ 0.7).