Malaysia Federal Route 55


Federal Route 55 or Jalan Kuala Kubu Bharu–Teranum–Raub is a 62-km federal road connecting the states of Selangor and Pahang in Malaysia. It is the first federal road ever being constructed in Pahang. The road connects Kuala Kubu Bharu, Selangor to Teranum near Raub in Pahang. It is the main access route to Fraser's Hill.

Route background

The Kilometre Zero of the Federal Route 55 is located at Kuala Kubu Bharu, Selangor, at its intersection with the Federal Route 1, the main trunk road of the central of Peninsular Malaysia. After passing Kuala Kubu Bharu town centre, it runs along the eastern circumference of the Selangor Dam. Shortly after passing the Selangor Dam, the road becomes winding as it ascends the Titiwangsa Range until its intersection with the uphill road to Fraser's Hill near the Selangor–Pahang state border. Then, the road descends downhill, running in parallel with the Teranum River until its eastern terminus at Teranum where it meets with the Malaysia Federal Route 218.

History

The Federal Route 55 is the earliest federal road ever constructed in Pahang. It was constructed as an 80-mile bridle track from Kuala Kubu Bharu to Kuala Lipis known as the Kuala Kubu–Kuala Lipis Road. In 1915, a road was constructed from Teranum to Bentong, forming the southern pioneer route for the Federal Route 8. The entire roadway was upgraded and paved in 1928 with the specific cost of RM2,004 per mile, which was considered as the most expensive road project at that time. Portion of the Kuala Kubu–Kuala Lipis Road from Teranum to Raub, together with the road from Teranum to Bentong, would later form a part of the Federal Route 8 before the winding Bentong–Raub old road was bypassed by a new, more straight super two road in conjunction with the opening of FELDA Lurah Bilut. Therefore, the bypassed old road is now re-gazetted as the Federal Route 218.
In 1919, work started on the access road to the hill station from The Gap and by 1922, the hill station named Fraser's Hill was opened to visitors.
During the Malayan Emergency, Sir Henry Gurney, a British High Commissioner in Malaya was assassinated by the Malayan Communist Party terrorists at Mile 56 ½, Kuala Kubu Road on 7 October 1951, on his way to Fraser's Hill. The communist terrorists ambushed his Rolls Royce Silver Wraith and shot him to death. His remains was buried at the Cheras Road Christian Cemetery at Jalan Cheras, Kuala Lumpur. A memorial signboard was later erected by Malaysian Public Works Department at the site of the incident.
At the end of 1990s, a new water dam known as the Sungai Selangor Dam was constructed to cater the increasing water demand in the Klang Valley. During construction of the Sungai Selangor Dam, a 7.7-km super two road was built to replace the existing roadway at the Sungai Selangor Dam construction site. Construction starts on 2001 and was completed in 2003. This road has two bridges, the Sungai Selangor bridge and the Sungai Peretak bridge.

List of junctions and towns