Federal Route 500 is a federal highway in Sabah, Malaysia, connecting Kota Kinabalu to Tenom. It serves as the main highway from Kota Kinabalu to towns and villages in the Interior Division of Sabah.

History The road to the interior is once a dirt road (known as salt trail) in the 1960s before being upgraded to a two-lane paved single carriageway. Historically, Federal Route 500 is also formerly known as Sabah State Route SA3, which was a much longer state highway in Sabah.

While the original Route SA3 is longer, only the section between Kota Kinabalu to Tenom is recommissioned as a federal highway; the section between Tenom to Paal retains its state highway code, while the remaining section from Paal to Kuala Tomani was renumbered as Route SA33, following the completion of Tenom–Sipitang Highway in 2007 which then commissioned as part of Sabah State Route SA3. Today, State Route SA3 is a state highway used to connect Tenom to Sipitang.

Route background

Federal Route 500 started at the city centre of Kota Kinabalu, and terminus at the town centre of Tenom. The highway started as a urban highway, named Pintas Highway ().

Penampang–Tambunan Highway Penampang–Tambunan Highway is a two-lane single carriageway road section, connecting the town of Penampang to Tambunan. Being a mountainous road in the West Coast Division of Sabah, it crosses the Crocker Range at high-altitude, over the summit of near Mount Alab, within the boundary of Crocker Range National Park. Being moderately steep, the road gradient ranges from 6% to 10% as the highway features frequencies bend though some section can also hit 15% in Penampang District which are highly steep, as well some parts can view a glimpse of the Kota Kinabalu city and South China Sea. While almost all roads don't feature straight climbs, a traditional climbing lane were also provide, only in Tambunan District near Rafflesia Forest Reserve.

Being the highest road in the state, most rugged mountainous section is prone to landslide. It was also one of the highways in Sabah that was frequently close or upgrade.

The interior stretch

The road which runs west to east from Keningau to Tenom was an undulating hilly road which lacks a truck lane.

List of interchanges

KmExitInterchangeToRemarks Kota KinabaluHarbour CityNortheast Coastal HighwayKota Kinabalu city centreSouthwestTanjung AruKota Kinabalu International Airport Signalised intersectionStart/end of dual-carriageway Kota KinabaluSembulan RoundaboutJalan Pintas PenampangNortheastKota Kinabalu city centre Jalan PenampangSouthwestJalan Mat SallehTanjung Aru Roundabout Tunnel Queen Elizabeth Hospital Queen Elizabeth Hospital Roundabout Taman Waja Taman Waja Roundabout Kota KinabaluJalan Lintas Intersection Northeast Jalan LintasInanamTuaranKudatSouthwestTanjung AruPaparBeaufort Signalised intersection Grand Millennium Plaza DonggongonNorth Jalan PenampangPenampangKota KinabaluSouth Lok Kawi Papar Beaufort RoundaboutEnd/start of dual-carriageway Stadium Penampang Stadium PenampangMajlis Daerah PenampangSabah Cultural Center Roundabout Kibabaig NorthKibabaigMinintodInanamBukit Padang Roundabout Kg. Madasiang Kg. Babagon Babagon Dam T-junction Kg. Moyog -- m above sea level Kota Kinabalu bound,Engage lower gear Kipandi Butterfly Park-- m above sea level Northeast Jalan Tudan PoringKiulu Junction Gunung Alab R&R complex R&R complexKota Kinabalu bound Rafflesia Info Center-- m above sea level Tambunan bound Tambunan Forestry Masakob Waterfall -- m above sea level Tambunan bound,Engage lower gear Kg. Sinsuron Tambunan Tambunan RoundaboutNortheast Jalan Ranau–Tambunan Ranau Kundasang Sandakan Roundabout Tambunan Tambunan town centre Roundabout -- m above sea level Keningau bound,Engage lower gear Apin-Apin Junctions Bingkor Roundabout Keningau District Hospital Keningau District Hospital RoundaboutStart/end of dual-carriageway KeningauNorthwest Kimanis–Keningau HighwayCrocker Range National ParkKimanisPaparBeaufortKota Kinabalu Roundabout KeningauJalan Keningau–Sook Southeast Tawau–Keningau HighwaySookNabawanSapulutKalabakanTawau Signalised T-junction Jalan Patikang Ulu Jalan Patikang UluKimanis T-junctionEnd/start of dual-carriageway Senagang-- m above sea level Tenom bound,Engage lower gear Melalap TenomTenom town centrePonontomonSabah Agriculture Park Roundabout Southwest Jalan Tenom–SipitangSipitangSinduminLawasSouth Jalan Paal–Kuala TomaniKemabongKuala Tomani

Road upgrades The highway will be upgraded with a flyover to replace the Sigah Roundabout in Donggongon Town. The project began on 25 October 2022 and was expected to be completed on October 2026.

Gallery

See also Kimanis–Keningau Highway

References