Malaysia Federal Route 59

Federal Route 59, or Jalan Tapah–Cameron Highlands, is a 90 km federal road in Perak and Pahang state, Malaysia. It was the main route to Cameron Highlands, Pahang from Tapah, Perak, before the second route Second East–West Highway was built in 2001.[1]

Federal Route 59 shield}}
Federal Route 59
Jalan Tapah–Cameron Highlands
Jalan Tapah-Cameron Highlands 1.jpg
Route information
Length89.85 km (55.83 mi)
Existed1920s–present
Major junctions
North endCameron Highlands, Pahang
Major intersections FT 1 Federal Route 1
North–South Expressway Northern Route AH2 North–South Expressway Northern Route
FT 102 Ringlet–Sungai Koyan Highway
C162 Jalan BOH
FT 434 Jalan Girdle
FT 432 Jalan Gunung Brinchang
C7 Jalan Kampung Parit
FT 185 Second East–West Highway
South endTapah, Perak
Location
CountryMalaysia
Primary
destinations
Brinchang
Tanah Rata
Ringlet
Kea Farm
Tringkap
Kuala Terla
Highway system

Route background

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The Kilometre Zero of the Federal Route 59 is located at Tapah, Perak, at its interchange with the Federal Route 1, the main trunk road of the centre of Peninsular Malaysia. The Kilometre Zero monument is erected near the Pos Malaysia post office at Jalan Stesen, Tapah.

History

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The Cameron Highlands were explored in 1885 by William Cameron, a British surveyor. The trail used by Cameron remained unchanged until the 1920s when the British colonial Federated Malay States (FMS) government upgrades from trail road to a two-lane road.

Along the road, there are many scenic views and tourist attractions. Due to the increase in the number of tourists to Cameron Highlands in recent years and with virtually no upgrades to the existing road, traffic congestion occurs daily, sometimes up to 5 hours, particularly from Tanah Rata to Kea Farm. A large reason for the increase in traffic congestion can be attributed to the relatively single lane narrow road leading to the Sungei Palas BOH Tea Factory and Tea Garden, where cars have to adopt a stop-and-go method to avoid collisions.

Features

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  • Narrow roads (JKR R3 (mountainous)) standard for the most section with a maximum speed limit of 40 km/h)
  • Kuala Woh waterfall
  • Orang Asli villages
  • Kuala Woh and Lata Iskandar waterfalls
  • A daily day-night market at Brinchang town and Kea Farm but has been moved to Golden Hills and operates during the weekends only
  • Connects to Federal Route 432 Jalan Gunung Brinchang, the highest paved road in Malaysia.
  • Tapah Interchange, a major interchange of the North–South Expressway Northern Route

At most sections, the Federal Route 59 was built under the JKR R5 road standard, allowing maximum speed limit of up to 90 km/h.

Upgrading from Tapah to Cameron Highlands

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A multi-million ringgit project to widen and upgrade the road from Tapah to the highlands has been proposed. Motorists prefer to use the road from Simpang Pulai in Ipoh rather than the winding road up from Tapah. The 40 km stretch from Kampung Pahang here is regularly used by lorries carrying vegetables from the highlands to the rest of the country and Singapore. During peak days, the road is heavily congested. Motorists dread driving along the road, especially during the rainy season, as it is landslide-prone.[2]

List of junctions and towns

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Km Exit Junctions To Remarks
  FT 59
0
Tapah North
  FT 1 Ipoh
  FT 1 Gopeng
  FT 1 Kampar
Hospital Tapah  

South
  FT 1 Bidor
  FT 1 Slim River
  FT 1 Tanjung Malim
  FT 1 Kuala Lumpur
 A10 Tapah Road
 A16 Chikus
  FT 109 Pasir Salak
  FT 58 Teluk Intan
Junctions
Tapah
Taman Tapah
South
Jalan Taman Tapah
Taman Tapah
T-junctions
Tapah
Taman Anson
Northwest
Jalan Taman Anson
Taman Anson
T-junctions
Tapah-NSE    North–South Expressway Northern Route   AH2 North–South Expressway Northern Route

North
Alor Star
Ipoh
Gopeng

South
Kuala Lumpur
Tanjung Malim
Bidor
  Tapah Rest and Service Area
T-junctions
Kampung Pahang
71m above sea level
Kem Tapah
Tapah Royal Malay Regiment Camp
Sekolah Menengah Sains Tapah (SESTA)
Jalan Sungai Cherok Southeast
 A103 Jalan Sungai Cherok
Sungai Cherok
T-junctions
Kampung Batu Tiga
80m above sea level
Sungai Cherok bridge
89m above sea level
Kampung Batu Melintang
120m above sea level
Kampung Batu Enam
139m above sea level
Pusat Ternakan Ikan Air Tawar Tapah
145m above sea level
Kuala Woh166m above sea level East
Jalan Kuala Woh
Kuala Woh
Kuala Woh Waterfalls  
Sultan Idris Woh Dam and Hydroelectric Station
T-junctions
Sungai Woh bridge
--- m above sea level Start/End of narrow roads
Max speed limit: 40 km/h
Kampung Batu Tujuh
166m above sea level
Kampung Batu Lapan
216m above sea level
Kampung Batu Sembilan
250m above sea level
Kampung Batu Sepuluh
309m above sea level
Kampung Batu Sebelas
356m above sea level
Orang Asli Village
391m above sea level
Kampung Batu Empat Belas
432m above sea level
Lata Iskandar Waterfalls  
473m above sea level
Lata Iskandar Waterfalls  
  V        
Food and fruit stall
Orang Asli Village
516m above sea level
Orang Asli Village
509m above sea level
Sultan Yusoff Jor Dam and Hydroelectric Station
529m above sea level
Sultan Yusoff Jor Dam and Hydroelectric Station
Main Hydroelectric Dam
Kelab Golf Empangan Jor (Sultan Yusoff Jor Dam Golf Course)
T-junctions
Restricted area
Klinik Kesihatan Batu Tujuh Belas
544m above sea level
Orang Asli Village
562m above sea level
Kampung Batu Tujuh Belas
564m above sea level
Sungai Jor bridge610m above sea level
Sultan Yusoff Jor Dam and Hydroelectric Station
610m above sea level
Sultan Yusoff Jor Dam and Hydroelectric Station
Main Intake
Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) Staff Quarters
T-junctions
Restricted area
Orang Asli Village
650m above sea level
Viaduct
--- m above sea level
Orang Asli Village
724m above sea level
Orang Asli Village
775m above sea level
Orang Asli Village
872m above sea level
Perak Darul Ridzuan
Batang Padang district border
Tapah sub-district border
Perak–Pahang border
1200 m above sea level
Pahang Darul Makmur
Cameron Highlands district border
Ringlet sub-district border
Cameron Highlands
1200 m above sea level Start/End of narrow roads
Max speed limit: 40 km/h
Ringlet
1127m above sea level
Ringlet
Ringlet–Sungai Koyan Highway
1131m above sea level
East
  FT 102 Ringlet–Sungai Koyan Highway
  FT 102 Bertam Valley
  FT 102 Sungai Koyan
  FT 8 Kuala Lipis
  FT 8 Raub
   East Coast Expressway   FT 2 Kuantan
T-junction
Ringlet
1134m above sea level
Sungai Khazanah bridge
1117m above sea level
SK Ringlet & SMK Ringlet
1111m above sea level
  V Sultan Abu Bakar Dam
--- m above sea level
  V
Lakehouse Hotel
1117m above sea level
  V Sultan Abu Bakar Dam Rest and Service Area
--- m above sea level
  V    
Food and Fruit Stalls
Sungai Bertam bridge
1103m above sea level
Habu
Habu Heights
1105 m above sea level
East
Jalan Felicia
Habu Heights
T-junction
Habu
1102m above sea level
East
 C162 Jalan BOH
Boh Tea Estate
BOH Tea Factory
Visitor Centre, Tea Shop and Stall
  V      
T-junction
Habu
Habu power station
1121m above sea level
Food and Fruit Stalls
1158m above sea level
  V    
Food and Fruit Stalls
Kampung Batu 33
1174m above sea level
Ringlet-Tanah Rata sub-district border
1387 m above sea level
  V Cameron Valley Tea House 1
1279m above sea level
Cameron Bharat Tea Estate
Tea Shop and Stall
  V      
  V Cameron Valley Tea House 2
1327m above sea level
Cameron Bharat Tea Estate
Tea Shop and Stall
  V      
Jalan Mentiggi Utama
1460m above sea level
Tanah Rata
1463m above sea level
Tanah Rata
1464m above sea level
Cameron Highlands Post Office Post office opened on 1956.
Historical site
Tanah Rata
1465m above sea level
Cameron Highlands Bus and Taxi Station
       
Tanah Rata
Jalan Dayang Indah
1457m above sea level
Southeast
Jalan Dayang Indah
Robinson Falls
Majlis Daerah Cameron Highlands (MDCH) main headquarters
Cameron Highlands District and Land Office
Hospital Sultanah Hajjah Kalsom  
T-junctions
Tanah Rata
Jalan Tengkolok
1457m above sea level
North
Jalan Tengkolok
T-junctions
Tanah Rata
Jalan Masjid
1457m above sea level
East
Jalan Masjid
Tanah Rata Park
Masjid Abu Bakar, Tanah Rata  
T-junctions
Kampung Taman Sedia
1493m above sea level
Desa Anthurium Apartment
1523m above sea level
Jalan Kampung Parit
1486m above sea level
Northeast
 C7 Jalan Kampung Parit
Kampung Parit
Parit Falls  
T-junction
Persiaran Golden Hills
1490m above sea level
West
Persiaran Golden Hills
Golden Hills
Kampung Sungai Ruil
Jalan Tengkolok

  Sungai Ruil Tea Stop
   
T-junctions
Sungai Ruil bridge
1490m above sea level
Jalan Rumah Persekutuan
1499m above sea level
Summit
Jalan Rumah Persekutuan
Rumah Peranginan Persekutuan Cameron Highlands
(Cameron Highlands Federal Rest House)
T-junctions
Jalan Girdle
--- m above sea level
North
  FT 434 Jalan Girdle (Girdle Road)
Cameron Green
Strawberry Park Resort
Strawberry shops
T-junction
Cameron Highlands Sultan Ahmad Shah Golf Club
(Formerly known as Cameron Highlands Golf and Country Club)
1499m above sea level
Cameron Highlands Sultan Ahmad Shah Golf Club
(Formerly known as Cameron Highlands Golf and Country Club)
Tanah Rata-Brinchang sub-district border
1450 m above sea level
Jalan Kampung Parit
--- m above sea level
Southeast
 C7 Jalan Kampung Parit
Tanah Rata
Kampung Parit
Parit Falls  
T-junction
Brinchang
1515m above sea level
North
Jalan Angsana

South
Jalan Pecah Batu
Brinchang
1520m above sea level
  Brinchang Food Court
     
Brinchang
1534m above sea level
Brinchang Fire Station
Brinchang
1539m above sea level
Brinchang
1544m above sea level
Brinchang Police Station
  V Uncle Sam Farm
1583m above sea level
Uncle Sam Farm
  V
T-junction
  V Rose Garden
1578m above sea level
Rose Garden
  V
T-junction
  V
Brinchang Strawberry Park
1576m above sea level
Brinchang Strawberry Park
Strawberry Park and Shoppe
Vegetable Market
Cameron Highlands Time Tunnel Gallery
  V    
Sungai Janggus bridge
1601m above sea level
  V S'Corner Market
1600m above sea level
S Corner Market
  V
  V Cactus Point
1614m above sea level
Cactus Point
  V
T-junction
Kea Farm
  V Kea Farm Food Court
1634m above sea level
  V      
Kea Farm
1634m above sea level
Kea Farm
Kea Farm daily day-night market
  V
T-junction
Copthorne Hotel Cameron Highlands
(Formerly known as Equatorial Hills Resort)
1,627m above sea level
Copthorne Resort Cameron Highlands
(Formerly known as Equatorial Hills Resort)
  V
Butterfly Garden
1635m above sea level
Butterfly Garden
  V
T-junction
Jalan Gunung Brinchang
1636m above sea level
Northwest
  FT 432 Jalan Gunung Brinchang
Gunung Brinchang
Orang Asli Village
Sungai Palas BOH Tea Estate
T-junction
Persiaran Oriental Lily
1487m above sea level
  V
Rose Valley
1486m above sea level
  V
Rose Valley
T-junction
Tringkap
1461m above sea level
Blue Valley Tea Estate
1458m above sea level
East
 C7 Jalan Blue Valley
Blue Valley Tea Estate
Tea Shop and Stall
  V      
T-junction
Cameron Lavender Garden
1367m above sea level
Kuala Terla
1244m above sea level
Kuala Terla
Orang Asli Village
T-junction
Kampung Raja
1305m above sea level
Cameron Highlands
Cameron Highlands (North)
Second East–West Highway
1436m above sea level
  FT 185 Second East–West Highway

West
  FT 185 Simpang Pulai
  FT 1 Ipoh
   North–South Expressway Northern Route   AH2 North–South Expressway Northern Route
Alor Star
Penang
Kuala Lumpur

East
  FT 185 Gua Musang
  FT 8 Kuala Lipis
  FT 8 Kuala Krai
  FT 8 Kota Bharu
  FT 185 Kuala Berang
  FT 185 Kuala Terengganu
T-junction

References

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  1. ^ Statistik Jalan (Edisi 2013). Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian Public Works Department. 2013. pp. 16–64. ISSN 1985-9619.
  2. ^ New Straits Times, 23 November 2009)[1][permanent dead link]