The entire section of the FT3 highway forms the Malaysian section of the Asian Highway Route AH18. As a result, sections of the Federal Route 3 are progressively being upgraded to either super two highways or divided highways. Besides, the Federal Route 3 remains popular as a scenic coastal route of the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is unaffected by the presence of the East Coast Expressway Phase 2 (ECE2) E8, due to the fact that the FT3 highway has been recognized by the National Geographic Society as one of the top 10 coastal highways in Asia.