The expressway was constructed to allow cross-border traffic to bypass the city centre and reduce congestion along Tebrau Highway, the existing main route to the causeway.

[3] The Kilometre Zero of the entire expressway is located after the CIQ Interchange before the Sultan Iskandar Building towards the Malaysia-Singapore border.

[citation needed] Another major controversy is that only the motorists who use the CIQ complex to travel to Singapore will be charged the toll; whether or not the EDL is used.

On 1 January 2018, toll collections at JB Eastern Dispersal Link was abolished and replaced by Road Charge on every Singapore car that enters Malaysia.

[citation needed] Below is a list of interchanges (exits), laybys and rest and service areas along the Johor Bahru Eastern Dispersal Link Expressway.