Merak – Surabaya to be Linked by Toll Roads in 2018

President Jokowi during the inauguration of Surabaya – Mojokerto Toll Road

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Thursday (19/12) inaugurated Surabaya – Mojokerto (Sumo) Toll Road stretching for 36.27 km, extending toll roads in East Java province to 199 km.

The extension is also part of 1,167 km Trans Java Toll Road stretching from Merak to Banyuwangi planned to be completed by the end of 2019. Meanwhile, Merak – Surabaya toll road project is projected to be completed by the end of 2018.

At the end of 2018, the Government also aims to access from Merak to Surabaya to be passed by toll roads continuously.

Acceleration of the development of toll road as a part of national road network system is one concrete measure in manifesting the Nawacita (nine programs of President Jokowi and Vice President Jusuf Kalla’s Administration) which is to increase people’s connectivity and the nation’s competitiveness.

Trans Java Toll Road is necessary to improve connectivity in Java Island, which contributes more than 50 percent to the national economic development.

“We are racing against time because competition among countries is getting fiercer. Developing countries that will become developed countries are those with strong competitiveness, and efficiency. Therefore, the reason why we are pushing the development of toll roads, seaports, airport, and power plants is for the sake of nation competitiveness,” President Jokowi said during the inauguration of Sumo Toll Road.

From the total of 1,167 km, 561 km of Trans Java Toll Road have been operated, while 433 km is still under construction, and 172 km is still under investment auction stage. The budget spent for this toll road is mainly sourced from private sector investment, while the State Budget only serves as the Government’s support in improving the financial feasibility of that toll roads.

Sumo Toll Road is the 11^th toll roads to be operated in 2017 in which nine of the 11 were inaugurated by President Jokowi.

The nine toll roads are Tanjung Priok Access Toll Road, Kertosono-Mojokerto Toll Road section 2, Semarang-Solo Toll Road section 3, Palembang-Indralaya Toll Road section 1, Medan-Binjai Toll Road section 2,3, Medan-Kualanamu-Tebingtinggi Toll Road section 1-6, Bekasi-Cawang-Kampung Melayu Toll Road section IB and IC, and Soreang-Pasirkoja Toll Road.

The other two toll roads that were not inaugurated by the President are Gempol-Pasuruan Toll Road section 1-A1 which has operated on 6 April 2017 and section 1-A2 which has operated on 3 August 2017 stretching for 15.7 km.

Sumo Toll Road is connected to Mojokerto – Kertosono (Moker) Toll Road which has been operated. Thus, the total length of Surabaya-Jombang-Kertosono Toll Road will be 76 km and it can be reached in about 1 hour, or 2 hours faster than the previous route.

Based on Ministerial Decree of the Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Number 916 of 2017, toll rates for Sumo Toll Road is Rp1,050 per km for Vehicle Type 1 or Rp38,000 for the furthest distance. In the near future, Surabaya-Mojokerto-Kertosono Toll Road will be linked to other toll roads, and will be operated in 2018.

The completion of several toll roads will be accelerated in order to meet the target of Merak- Surabaya Toll Road that will be operated by the end of 2018. Those toll roads are:  Pejagan-Pemalang Toll Road for East Brebes -Pemalang section (38 km) to be operated in March 2018, Pemalang-Batang Toll Road (39 km) to be operated in July 2018, Batang-Semarang Toll Road (75 km) to be operated in May 2018, Semarang-Solo from Salatiga-Kertosuro Toll Road (33 km) to be operated in July 2018, Solo-Ngawi Toll Road (90 km) to be operated at the end of January 2018, Ngawi-Kertosono Toll Road (87 km) from Ngawi-Nganjuk Toll Road (50 km) to be operated in January 2018, and Saradan-Kertosono Toll Road (37 km) to be operated in December 2018.

The connection of all toll roads is expected to  reduce logistics costs, ease traffic congestion on arterial roads, shorten travel time, and boost  regional economic growth.

“I have met with entrepreneurs from Jombang who now can deliver the products faster to Surabaya. Before toll road is constructed, they must depart early and will arrive in Surabaya at noon. Now, they can reach Surabaya in only 1 hour, so they can deliver multiple times,” Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono said.

Once access from urban area to hinterland is getting smoother, it will drive emergence of new housing areas outside of Surabaya that will become more well-organized residential areas. In addition, the development of toll roads will also attract investors to the areas and encourage them to build offices or factories there. (Biro Komunikasi Publik Kementerian PUPR/ES) (RAS/EP/YM/Naster)