Central Spine Road
Lingkaran Tengah Utama Expressway, previously known as Central Spine Road (CSR) or Kuala Krai–Kuala Pilah Highway, Federal Route 34, is a new toll-free highway under construction in the center of Peninsular Malaysia. The 325 km (201 miles) highway is built to eventually replace the former two-lane Malaysia Federal Route 8 (Gua Musang Highway) and Malaysia Federal Route 9 (Karak–Tampin highway). Construction of CSR starts at Package 3 which is from Merapoh to Kampung Relong. It commences at Package 3 as the Gua Musang Highway passes through Chegar Perah which is prone to roadkill. The highway has a long eco-viaduct built in this section. Package 5 which is from north Raub to Karak will be built next, which will connect it to E8 Kuala Lumpur–Karak Expressway bypassing Bentong and Mempaga. This will help detour traffic from the steep mountainous grade between Raub and Bentong. It was formerly known as 
Central Spine Expressway.
 | |
|---|---|
| Kuala Krai–Kuala Pilah Highway, Central Spine Road Lebuhraya Kuala Krai–Kuala Pilah, Jalan Utama Tengah | |
| Route information | |
| Length | 340 km (210 mi) |
| Existed | 2012–present |
| History | Completed in 2026 |
| Major junctions | |
| North end | Kuala Krai, Kelantan |
FT 34 Kota Bharu–Kuala Krai Expressway FT 8 Federal Route 8 FT 185 Simpang Pulai–Kuala Berang Highway East Coast Expressway  FT 2  AH141 Kuala Lumpur–Karak Expressway FT 2 Federal Route 2 FT 9 Federal Route 9 | |
| South end | Simpang Pelangai, Pahang / Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan |
| Location | |
| Country | Malaysia |
| Primary destinations | Gua Musang Sungai Yu Chegar Perah Kampung Relong Kuala Lipis Raub / Sungai Ruan Bentong Karak Mempaga Kuala Pilah Bahau Seremban |
| Highway system | |
History
- On 15 December 2016, section 3H (Kg. Kechur to Kg. Sbrg. Jelai) was opened to traffic
- Phase 1 is a 51 km stretch from Kuala Krai to Jambatan Sungai Lakit in Kelantan.
- Phase 2 spans 63 km from Jambatan Sungai Lakit to Gua Musang in Kelantan
- Phase 3 covers 107 km from Gua Musang to Kampung Relong in Pahang.
- Phase 4 comprises 56 km from Kampung Relong to Raub in Pahang
- Phase 5, 54 km from Raub to Bentong
- Phase 6, is 47 km and connects Bentong and Simpang Pelangai.
Features
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- Four lanes, two on each side[1]
- A long eco-viaduct for wild animals crossing
- Some sections are concrete paved, making CSR as the only newly completed road paved using concrete
In most sections, the original Federal Route was built under JKR R5 road standards, allowing maximum speed limit of up to 90 km/h.
From Kampung Sungai Yu to Chegar Perah and from Chegar Perah to Bukit Tujuh, it overlaps Federal Route 8 Merapoh Highway.
Federal Route 8 may eventually remain as an alternative route.
There are no sections with motorcycle lanes.
List of interchanges
| State | District | Km | Exit | Name | Destination | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Through to FT 34 Kota Bharu–Kuala Krai Expressway | ||||||
| Kelantan | Kuala Krai | Kuala Krai | ||||
| FT 34 Lingkaran Tengah Utama Expressway Package 1 Start/End of highway Under construction | ||||||
| FT 34 Lingkaran Tengah Utama Expressway Package 1 Under construction | ||||||
| Gua Musang | Sungai Lakit Bridge | |||||
| FT 34 Lingkaran Tengah Utama Expressway Package 2 Under construction | ||||||
| FT 34 Lingkaran Tengah Utama Expressway Package 2 Under construction | ||||||
| Gua Musang | ||||||
| FT 34 Lingkaran Tengah Utama Expressway Package 3 Under construction | ||||||
| Mentara | ||||||
| Kelantan Darul Naim Gua Musang district border | ||||||
| Kelantan–Pahang border | ||||||
| Pahang | Pahang Darul Makmur Lipis district border | |||||
| FT 34 Lingkaran Tengah Utama Expressway Under construction | ||||||
| FT 34 Lingkaran Tengah Utama Expressway Package 3 (Gua Musang–Kampung Relong) Section 3F JKR border limit | ||||||
| Lipis | -- | Kubang Rusa Interchange | FT 8 Merapoh Highway West Kampung Kubang Rusa Merapoh Gua Musang Kuala Krai Kota Bharu FT 185 Simpang Pulai–Kuala Berang HighwayCameron Highland Ipoh Tasik Kenyir Kuala Terengganu East Kampung Sungai Yu Pusat Rekreasi Sungai Yu | Parclo B-2 interchange | ||
| Sungai Yu Eco-Viaduct Eco-Viaduct | ||||||
| -- | Sungai Yu Interchange | FT 8 Merapoh Highway West Kampung Sungai Yu Pusat Rekreasi Sungai Yu Merapoh | Trumpet interchange | |||
| -- | Chegar Perah | FT 8 Merapoh Highway West Chegar Perah | LILO Kuala Krai bound | |||
| -- | Chegar Perah | FT 8 Merapoh Highway West Chegar Perah | LILO Kuala Krai bound | |||
| U-Turn | FT 8 Lingkaran Tengah Utama Expressway U-Turn Chegar Perah Sungai Yu Kubang Rusa Mentara Gua Musang Kuala Krai Kota Bharu | U-Turn south bound Under Construction | ||||
| FT 34 Lingkaran Tengah Utama Expressway Package 3 (Gua Musang–Kampung Relong) Section 3F JKR border limit | ||||||
| FT 34 Lingkaran Tengah Utama Expressway Under construction | ||||||
| FELDA Telang | ||||||
| Kampung Kechur | ||||||
| FT 34 Lingkaran Tengah Utama Expressway Package 3 (Gua Musang–Kampung Relong) Section 3H JKR border limit | ||||||
| Kampung Seberang Jelai | ||||||
| FT 34 Lingkaran Tengah Utama Expressway Package 3 (Gua Musang–Kampung Relong) Section 3H JKR border limit | ||||||
| FT 34 Lingkaran Tengah Utama Expressway Package 3J Under construction | ||||||
| Kampung Relong | ||||||
| FT 34 Lingkaran Tengah Utama Expressway Package 3 Under construction | ||||||
| FT 34 Lingkaran Tengah Utama Expressway Package 4 Under construction | ||||||
| Lipis–Raub district border | ||||||
| FT 34 Lingkaran Tengah Utama Expressway Package 5 Under construction | ||||||
| Raub | 7 | Raub | ||||
| Raub–Bentong district border | ||||||
| Bentong | 6A | Bentong Interchange | FT 8 Federal Route 8 Bentong Bukit Fraser | Diamond interchange | ||
| 6 | Mempaga Interchange | Mempaga | Roundabout interchange | |||
| 6A | KLK Interchange |  East Coast Expressway FT 2 AH141 Kuala Lumpur–Karak ExpresswayWest Kuala Lumpur Genting Highlands East Gambang Kuantan Kuala Terengganu | Trumpet interchange | |||
| FT 34 Lingkaran Tengah Utama Expressway Under construction | ||||||
| Kampung Telemong | ||||||
| Mancis | ||||||
| FT 34Lingkaran Tengah Utama Expressway Start/End of highway Under construction | ||||||
| -- | Simpang Pelangai | Northwest FT 9 Karak FT 9 Mancis Southeast FT 34 Kuala Klawang FT 9 Kuala Pilah FT 51 Seremban | T-junctions | |||
