JOHOR BARU: The government is exploring various measures to address the issue of traffic congestion on highways, particularly during festive seasons and public holidays.

Deputy Works Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said today the increase in vehicles or traffic cannot be used as an excuse, and instead, efforts must be made to find solutions to the congestion problem using the latest technology.

"I hope Plus and other concession companies can utilise modern technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI), to alleviate congestion, especially during holidays lasting more than two days, which typically result in prolonged traffic jams.

"We must find a solution to the problem," he said during a press conference after officiating the Highway Concession Conference (HCC) 2024 here.

Also present were Works Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Azman Ibrahim and Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) chairman Datuk Seri Ir Hasni Mohammad.

Ahmad said existing measures, such as the opening of "smart lanes" at 18 locations and the use of contraflow lanes, should be further expanded.

"The current steps, like smart lanes, should ideally be extended in terms of length and duration, as some smart lanes are too short, and they don't adequately address congestion. Therefore, these measures need to be increased and expanded," Ahmad added.

He also said that the implementation of My-TTA, a digital application by Plus Malaysia Berhad (Plus), should be widely promoted to allow users to plan their journey by identifying the best times to use the highway, especially during periods of heavy congestion.

Ahmad added that the implementation of "compulsory exits" during severe traffic congestion or during accidents could be expanded.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2024/09/1106764/use-ai-solve-highway-traffic-woes-says-ahmad-maslan