free ▁highway . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁the ▁first ▁compreh ensive ▁five - year ▁road ▁development ▁programme ▁was ▁form ulated ▁by ▁the ▁Highway ▁Pl anning ▁Unit , ▁which ▁included ▁expand ing ▁rural ▁roads ▁and ▁plans ▁to ▁construct ▁three ▁new ▁high ways ▁linking ▁the ▁east ▁and ▁west ▁coast s . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 7 ▁March ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁the ▁K ual a ▁L ump ur – Ser emb an ▁Express way ▁was ▁constructed . ▁Fund ed ▁by ▁a ▁loan ▁by ▁the ▁World ▁Bank , ▁the ▁ 6 3 . 4   km ▁( 3 9 . 3 ▁mile ) ▁express way ▁was ▁constructed ▁in ▁three ▁phases ; ▁the ▁first ▁phase ▁was ▁from ▁K ual a ▁L ump ur ▁to ▁Nil ai , ▁while ▁the ▁second ▁phase ▁was ▁from ▁Nil ai ▁to ▁Ser emb an . ▁The ▁third ▁phase ▁was ▁the ▁re h abil itation ▁of ▁the ▁old ▁Federal ▁Route ▁ 1 ▁from ▁K ual a ▁L ump ur ▁to ▁Ser emb an ▁as ▁a ▁to ll - free ▁alternative ▁to ▁motor ists . ▁The ▁completion ▁of ▁the ▁K ual a ▁L ump ur – Ser emb an ▁Express way ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁mark ing ▁the ▁first ▁step ▁towards ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁inter state ▁express way ▁known ▁as ▁North – S outh ▁Express way ▁( N SE ). ▁ ▁The ▁K ual a ▁L ump ur – Kar ak ▁Highway ▁( F eder al ▁Route ▁ 2 ) ▁was ▁built ▁between