Starting 15 June 2026, the Jalan Ismail Sultan road segment in Johor Bahru will be closed for maintenance linked to the RTS Link project. Motorists will be diverted onto contraflow lanes, creating potential delays for late‑night travelers between Singapore and Malaysia.
Johor Bahru , 12 June 2026 - Planning to drive into Johor Bahru after dark on the 15th or 16th of June? An important traffic change is set to affect your route.
The Royal Traffic Services Organisation (RTSO) announced a full closure of the Jalan Ismail Sultan (Stulang‑bound) section that lies just past the Malaysia‑Singapore Causeway and the R&F traffic light junction near the GBW Hotel. The closure, scheduled for the overnight window between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. on both days, will last a total of seven hours.
It is part of ongoing works under the RTS Link project, a mega‑infrastructure initiative that aims to cut travel times between Singapore's Woodlands area and Malaysia's Bukit Chagar crossing by building a new checked‑car lane and streamlining the customs process. During the seven‑hour closure, vehicles heading for Stulang will have to be rerouted onto the opposite‑direction lane of Jalan Ismail Sultan - the City Centre‑bound side.
Flagmen will be stationed at the junction to oversee the contraflow traffic arrangement, and the diversions will be clearly marked with green arrows on the printed and online route maps. Drivers are urged to obey all road signs and the directions of traffic officers to keep traffic moving safely and efficiently. The contraflow lane will be singular, so the capacity and flow will be reduced compared with normal two‑lane traffic.
For the 15th, the announcement specifies that the city‑centre bound diversion will operate for the full seven hours, from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. or until the diversion is removed by early morning. Motorists who anticipate crossing from Kuala Lumpur to Johor Bahru after midnight - or who plan to return to Singapore during that window - should allow conservatively additional travel time or consider different routes.
The impact of this overnight closure on weekend traffic is expected to be limited, as the congestion spark most nights is generally lower than on weekdays. Nevertheless, for Singaporean drivers who habitually cross at night to benefit from cheaper fuel or to avoid weekend surges, the 10‑p.m. to 5‑a.m. window is a prime time for any disruption.
The planned closure coincides with a Monday night; the late‑night commute on the Friday or Saturday nights that follow is usually the peak period in JB. Those who are unfamiliar with the contraflow diversion may become disoriented if they do not observe the newly posted signs and the instructions of flagmen. As this project expands, similar disruptions are bound to appear more frequently as the RTS Link link's construction progresses.
The authorities remind drivers that any road works related to the RTS Link are necessary to facilitate a long‑term improvement in cross‑border movement efficiency and are an unavoidable part of a broader improvement plan for the region's transport infrastructure. In addition to the logistical changes, the announcement underscores a broader theme: the R&F causeway and its surrounding roads are at the frontier of a transformative shift in how Singaporeans and Malaysians commute.
Once the RTS Link integration is complete, the anticipated result is a 20‑minute reduction in travel time between Woodlands and Bukit Chagar, easing the trans‑boundary flow for both freight and private vehicles. The immediate inconvenience of a contraflow lane during the JTCS‑heavy hours is a small price to pay for the long‑term benefits of a smoother, faster, and potentially less congested corridor.
In the meantime, motorists who plan to drive across the causeway late on the 15th or 16th of June should force a purposeful pause in their plans, consult local traffic updates from the City Shuttle and the BTSP websites, and factor an additional 15 to 30 minutes into their schedule to accommodate the temporary lane changes. Share and comment: If you are a regular late‑night commuter or a logistics operator, share your experience with contraflow diversions.
How well did the warning signs work for you? Are you planning to route your vehicle through a different crossing? Your feedback helps the authorities tweak future roadwork communication. For more information, check the RTSO's official channel for live traffic updates, and follow the official social media handles of the Johor Bahru City Council and the Singapore Land Transport Authority.
All parties apologize for the disruption and thank drivers for their cooperation and patience as the region moves towards a more efficient cross-border transport corridor
Johor Bahru Road Closure Jalan Ismail Sultan RTS Link Cross-Border Traffic
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