Malaysia Federal Route 8

The Federal Route 8, also known as the Kuala Lumpur–Kota Bharu Highway (Malay: Jalan Kuala Lumpur–Kota Bharu), is a 402.7-km federal highway in Malaysia.^[3] It connects Bentong in the south to Kota Bharu in the north. The highway had two parts - Kota Bharu–Kuala Krai Road (Malay: Jalan Kota Bharu–Kuala Krai) and Bentong–Kuala Lipis Road (Malay: Jalan Bentong–Kuala Lipis) until the completion of the missing link from Kuala Krai to Kuala Lipis, causing the entire FT8 highway to take 99 years to be completed.

Federal Route 8
Kuala Lumpur–Kota Bharu Highway (Malay: Jalan Kuala Lumpur–Kota Bharu) Gua Musang Highway
Route information
Length	402.7 km (250.2 mi)
Existed	1887^[1]–present
History	Completed in 1986^[2]
Major junctions
North end	Kota Bharu, Kelantan
Major intersections	FT 3 AH18 Wakaf Bharu–Kota Bharu–Kubang Kerian Highway FT 209 Federal Route 209 FT 207 Federal Route 207 FT 130 Federal Route 130 FT 4 AH140 Federal Route 4 FT 66 Federal Route 66 FT 185 Second East–West Highway Central Spine Road FT 235 Federal Route 235 FT 234 Federal Route 234 (Jalan Pekeliling) FT 64 Federal Route 64 FT 218 Federal Route 218 FT 68 Federal Route 68 East Coast Expressway FT 2 AH141 Kuala Lumpur–Karak Expressway
South end	Bentong, Pahang
Location
Country	Malaysia
Primary destinations	Tanah Merah Machang Kuala Krai Gua Musang Padang Tengku Kuala Lipis Benta Raub
Highway system
Highways in Malaysia Expressways Federal State

Route background

The Kilometre Zero of the Federal Route 8 starts at its interchange with the Kuala Lumpur–Karak Expressway E8 (Exit 810) at Bentong, Pahang. Together with the Federal Route 9, it runs along the eastern foothills of the Titiwangsa Range from its southern terminus to Raub. Then, the highways runs further from the Titiwangsa towards Kuala Lipis, and then runs along the western foothills of the Tahan Range towards Kuala Krai. Finally, the Federal Route 8 runs along the eastern bank of the Kelantan River to its northern terminus at Kota Bharu.^[4]

The FT8 highway is notorious for its severe traffic congestion, especially along the Kota Bharu–Kuala Krai section. The traffic congestion becomes apparent during festive seasons, with the recorded journey time from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Bharu may exceed 16 hours as of 2014 Hari Raya Aidilfitri festive season.

History

A portion of the Federal Route 8 was a part of the 80-mile Kuala Kubu–Kuala Lipis Road, the earliest trunk road in Pahang, which was constructed by the Public Works Department in 1887. The Kuala Kubu–Kuala Lipis Road connected Kuala Kubu Bharu in Selangor and Kuala Lipis in Pahang. Later, a section from Teranum to Bentong was constructed in 1915. At the same time, the Kota Bharu–Kuala Krai Road was constructed, together with the Kuala Terengganu–Kuantan Road FT3.^[1] The original FT8 section from Raub to Bentong via Teranum was later bypassed by a more straight super two highway in 1958 in conjunction of the opening of FELDA Lurah Bilut,^[5] causing the old, winding section to be re-gazetted as the Federal Route 218.^[6]

However, Bentong–Kuala Lipis Road FT8 and Kota Bharu–Kuala Krai Road FT8 were not extended, creating a 219-km missing link from Kuala Lipis to Kuala Krai. The missing link was only constructed in 1981. The Kuala Krai–Gua Musang Highway FT8 was completed first in August 1983,^[7] followed by the Kuala Lipis–Gua Musang Highway FT8 in 1986.^[2]

Upgrading into the Central Spine Road

Some parts of the Federal Route 8 can be seen to have constructions which are an upgrading progress of the route. The highway construction can be seen after Merapoh which is at Bukit Tujuh. The highway will take a new route (Central Spine Road) at Chegar Perah thus reducing the accident risks involving animals and sharp corners. Now, some parts of the old route at Chegar Perah had been demolished and motorist have been redirected into the Central Spine Road for a few kilometres before being redirected back to the Federal Route 8 just before Bukit Tujuh (Seven Hills).

Junctions and towns (south–north)

The following is a list of junctions of Route 8, and the towns (in bold with capital letters) that the intersections serve.

Km	Exit	Interchange	To	Remarks
402.7	801	Kuala Lumpur–Karak Expressway Bentong East	West    East Coast Expressway   FT 2   AH141 Kuala Lumpur–Karak Expressway Kuala Lumpur Gombak Genting Highlands East    East Coast Expressway   FT 2   AH141 Kuala Lumpur–Karak Expressway/East Coast Expressway Kuala Terengganu Kuantan Karak	Trumpet interchange
East Coast Expressway   FT 2   AH141 Kuala Lumpur–Karak Expressway Kuala Lumpur–Gua Musang Highway Start/End of expressway ANIH Berhad border limit
FT 8 Kuala Lumpur–Kota Bharu Highway Kuala Lumpur–Gua Musang Highway Start/End of highway JKR border limit
		Bentong Industrial Area		Junctions
		Central Spine Road Bentong	North   FT 34 Central Spine Road Lurah Bilut via   FT 8 Raub via   FT 8 Kota Bharu via   FT 8 Mempaga via   FT 1498	Half-diamond interchange Entry towards and exit from north only
		Kampung Bukit Piatu
		Kampung Benus
		Sungai Benus bridge
		Tengku Sulaiman Mosque
		Bentong Ketari	West   FT 68 Jalan Gombak-Bentong Bukit Tinggi Janda Baik Gombak Kuala Lumpur	Signalised T-junction
		Bentong Taman Ketari	West
		Bentong Sungai Marong	West Taman Bukit Indah East Kampung Sungai Marong	Signalised crossroads
		Sungai Bentong bridge
		Bentong	Bentong Town Centre	Route known as Jalan Loke Yew South-bound traffic only North-bound traffic uses Jalan Ah Peng running parallel to the west
		Bentong	East Bentong District and Land Office
		Bentong	East Bentong district mosque
		Kampung Chamang	West  C136 Jalan Chamang Chamang New Village Chamang waterfall	T-junction
		Kampung Kuala Repas	West	T-junction
		Taman Desa Damai	West	T-junction
		Old Bentong-Raub Road	North   FT 218 Old Bentong-Raub Road Kampung Sungai Penjuring Sang Lee Kampung Sungai Chetang Teranum Kuala Kubu Bharu via   FT 55 Fraser's Hill via   FT 56 Kuala Lumpur via   FT 1 Tanjung Malim via   FT 1	T-junction
		Kampung Asap	Southeast   FT 1496 Jalan Mempaga FELDA Mempaga Kampung Lebu Bentong via   FT 34	T-junction
		Kampung Baharu
		FELDA Lurah Bilut	East   FT 1496 Jalan FELDA Lurah Bilut FELDA Lurah Bilut	T-junction
Bentong–Raub district border
		Kampung Sungai Dalam
		Raub FELDA Krau	East   FT 1502 Jalan FELDA Krau Universiti Teknologi MARA Raub Campus FELDA Krau Kampung Melayu Sempalit	Signalised T-junction
		Raub Jalan Tras	West   FT 218 Old Bentong-Raub Road (also known as Jalan Tras) Teras Teranum Kuala Kubu Bharu via   FT 55 Fraser's Hill via   FT 56 Tanjung Malim via   FT 1 Kuala Lumpur via   FT 1	Signalised T-junction Section of road between   FT 218 intersection and Raub Town Centre is also known as Jalan Tras
		Raub Taman Raub Jaya	West Taman Raub Jaya
		Raub Raub Town Centre		Route known as Jalan Tun Razak South-bound traffic only North-bound traffic uses Jalan Dato' Abdullah running parallel to the west
		Raub	Northwest  C5 Jalan Cheroh-Batu Malim (Also known as just Jalan Cheroh in Raub Town) Cheroh Batu Talam Batu Malim Sungai Koyan via   FT 1503 Cameron Highlands via   FT 102 North  C135 Jalan Tengku Abdul Samad Bukit Koman	Crossroads
		Raub	Raub District and Land Office
		Kampung Pintu Padang	East  C142 Jalan Ulu Gali Ulu Gali	T-junctions
		Kampung Jemapai
		Kampung Gali
		Kampung Sungai Pasu
		Dong	East  C144 Jalan Dong Ulu Dong	T-junctions
		Kampung Kuala Gali
		Kampung Temau	East  C146 Jalan Ulu Temau Kampung Ulu Temau	T-junctions
		Kampung Ajai
		Kuala Dong	West  C158 Jalan Tanjung Tengku Tanjung Tengku Cheroh	T-junctions
		Kampung Jeruas
		Sega	West  C2 Jalan Batu Talam Batu Talam	T-junctions
		Kampung Jeram Besu
		Kampung Batu Buaya	North  C154 Jalan Seberang Lipis Kampung Seberang Lipis	T-junctions
		Benta	East   FT 64 Jerantut   FT 98 Temerloh   FT 98 Kuantan   FT 64 Bandar Pusat Jengka   FT 64 Maran	Roundabout
		Sungai Benta bridge
Raub–Lipis district border
		Taman Jelai
		Kampung Rengai
		Kampung Batu Enam
		Kampung Binjai
		Kuala Lipis	North   FT 234 Jalan Pekeliling   FT 234 Town Centre   FT 234 Jerantut   FT 234 Kerambit   FT 234 Kuala Tembeling   FT 234 Taman Negara (National Park) Kuala Lipis District and Land Office Masjid Sultan Mahmud (Kuala Lipis District Mosque) Tanjung Lipis Rest House Hospital Kuala Lipis   Kuala Lipis Railway Station	T-junctions
		Kuala Lipis	North Jalan Ceneras Town Centre Kuala Lipis District and Land Office Masjid Sultan Mahmud (Kuala Lipis District Mosque) Hospital Kuala Lipis   Kuala Lipis Railway Station	T-junctions
		Kampung Tempoyang
		Berchang	West   FT 235 Sungai Koyan   FT 102 Cameron Highlands	T-junctions
		Padang Tengku
		Railway crossing bridge
		Sungai Pahang bridge
		Kampung Beralas
		Kampung Seberang Jelai
		Kuala Tui
		Kampung Kechur
		Jalan Utama Kecau	Southeast   FT 1506 Jalan Utama Kecau Kuala Lipis	T-junctions
		Kampung Melaka
		Kampung Gelanggang
		Kampung Sentang
		Kampung Pagar Sasak
		Kampung Bukit
		Kampung Petola
		Kampung Bedong
		Kampung Tekal Jernih
		Kampung Dada Kering
		Taman Rimba Kenong	Taman Rimba Kenong
		FELDA Cegar Perah 1 & 2
		FELCRA Sungai Temau
		Sungai Yu
		Kampung Kubang Rasa
		Kampung Merhamah
		Kampung Persit
		Merapoh
		Kampung Tanggang
Pahang Darul Makmur Lipis district border
Kelantan border arch Pahang–Kelantan border
Kelantan Darul Naim Gua Musang district border
		Kampung Sungai Tupai
		Mentara
		Kampung Batu Papan
		Kampung Tanah Puteh
		SMS Gua Musang
		Gua Musang Rest and Service Area	Petron
		Gua Musang Jalan Industri roundabout	Jalan Industri West Pulai East Gua Musang Industrial Area	Roundabout
		Gua Musang Jalan Industri interchange	Jalan Industri West Pulai East Taman Damar Taman Wangi	Diamond interchange
		KESEDAR Golf Course	KESEDAR Golf Course
		Gua Musang Jalan Hospital	West   FT 2744 Jalan Hospital Hospital Gua Musang	T-junctions
		Gua Musang Bandar Baru Gua Musang	West Jalan Bandar Baru Bandar Baru Gua Musang Gua Musang District and Land Office Majlis Daerah Gua Musang (MDGM) headquarters Masjid Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra   Kelantan South Development Authority (KESEDAR) headquarters Gua Musang District Library FELDA Gua Musang district office RISDA Gua Musang district office Malaysian Road Transport Department (JPJ) Gua Musang district headquarters   FT 185 Second East–West Highway   FT 59 Cameron Highlands   FT 1 Simpang Pulai   FT 1 Ipoh    North–South Expressway Northern Route   AH2 North–South Expressway Northern Route Bukit Kayu Hitam Penang Kuala Lumpur  D29 Jalan Dabong–Gua Musang Dabong Jeli East Jalan PPR Gua Musang PPR Gua Musang	Junctions
		Sungai Ketil bridge
		Gua Musang Jalan Pulai	North Jalan Pulai Town Centre Kesedar Inn	T-junctions
		Gua Musang Gua Musang railway station	Gua Musang railway station	T-junctions
		Railway crossing bridge
		Gua Musang Bandar Utama Gua Musang	Bandar Utama Gua Musang	T-junctions
FT 8Kuala Lumpur–Kota Bharu Highway Kuala Lumpur–Gua Musang Highway
FT 8Kuala Lumpur–Kota Bharu Highway Kuala Krai–Gua Musang Highway
		Sungai Asap
		Sungai Asap bridge
		Jalan Sungai Cheweh	North  D237 Jalan Sungai Cheweh Sungai Cheweh	T-junctions
		Gua Musang Rest and Service Area	Shell
		Sungai Chiku bridge
		Chiku
		Chegar Bongor
		Kampung Bukit Tebok	Northwest   FT 66 Dabong   FT 66 Jeli   FT 4 Gerik	T-junctions
		Sungai Lebir bridge
Jambatan Kuala Krai Sungai Gai bridge Gua Musang–Kuala Krai district border
		Kampung Laloh
		Lata Beringin
		Kampung Karangan
		Kampung Temiang
		Manek Urai
		Kampung Sungai Peria
		Pahi
		Maktab Rendah Sains MARA (MRSM) Kuala Krai	Maktab Rendah Sains MARA (MRSM) Kuala Krai
		Kuala Krai	Kuala Krai District and Land Office
		Kuala Krai
		Guchil
FT 8Kuala Lumpur–Kota Bharu Highway Kuala Krai–Gua Musang Highway
FT 8Kuala Lumpur–Kota Bharu Highway Jalan Kota Bharu–Kuala Krai
		Pekan Jambu Lawar Batu 30
		Kampung Keroh
Kuala Krai–Machang district border
		Kampung Kijal
		Kampung Merkel
		Kampung Pemanok
		Sungai Sat bridge
		Machang Bypass	FT 8 Machang Bypass North Kota Bharu Kerteh	T-junctions
		Machang
		Machang (North)	West   FT 4   AH140 Tanah Merah   FT 4   AH140 Jeli   FT 4   AH140 Gerik East   FT 4   AH140 Pasir Puteh   FT 3   AH18 Besut   FT 3   AH18 Kuala Terengganu	Junctions
		Machang Bypass	FT 8 Machang Bypass South Kuala Krai Gua Musang	T-junctions
		Pulai Chondong
		Ketereh	D14 Jalan Ketereh West Durian Rendang East Bachok Jelawat	Junctions
		Kadok
Machang–Kota Bharu district border
		Wakaf Che Yeh	West   FT 207 Salor   FT 207 Pasir Mas East   FT 209 Pasir Hor   FT 209 Kubang Kerian	Junctions
		Wakaf Che Yeh	West   FT 130 Salor   FT 130 Pasir Mas	Junctions
		Sungai Pengkalan Datu bridge
		Bunut Payung
		Kota Darul Naim
FT 8 0		Kota Bharu WKK Interchange	FT 3   AH18 Wakaf Bharu–Kota Bharu–Kubang Kerian Highway Northwest Jalan Hamzah Sultan Yahya Petra Bridge   FT 3   AH18 Wakaf Baharu   FT 3   AH18 Pasir Mas   FT 3   AH18 Tumpat   FT 3   AH18 Rantau Panjang 4057   AH18 Pattani (Thailand) Southeast Jalan Sultan Yahya Petra   FT 57 Pengkalan Chepa   FT 3   AH18 Peringat   FT 3   AH18 Pasir Puteh   FT 3   AH18 Kuala Terengganu   FT 57 Sultan Ismail Petra Airport	Junctions
FT 8 Kuala Lumpur–Kota Bharu Highway Jalan Kota Bharu–Kuala Krai Start/End of highway
			North Jalan Sultan Ibrahim Kota Bharu Town Centre   FT 223 Pantai Cahaya Bulan   (Pantai Cinta Berahi)

References

1. Roads in Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian Ministry of Works. 2011. p. 16. ISBN 978-967-5399-17-6.
2. "Jalan Raya Merapoh" (in Malay). 2010-04-18. Retrieved 2015-08-10.
3. "Statistik Jalan (Edisi 2013)". Statistik Jalan. Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian Public Works Department: 16–64. 2013. ISSN 1985-9619.
4. Inventori Rangkaian Jalan Utama Persekutuan Semenanjung Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian Ministry of Works. 2009. pp. 90–92. ISBN 978-983-44278-2-5.
5. "Blog Jalan Raya Malaysia @ Cameron Highlands 2013 Part 1: Jalan Persekutuan 8 (Bentong-Raub)". 2013-06-27. Retrieved 2015-08-10.
6. Inventori Rangkaian Jalan Utama Persekutuan Semenanjung Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian Ministry of Works. 2009. pp. 470–471. ISBN 978-983-44278-2-5.
7. "Sejarah Kuala Krai". 2010-11-10. Retrieved 2015-08-10.