BPJT: Balikpapan-Samarinda toll road is now 90.19% complete

The government's toll road regulatory body BPJT said it continues to support the development of the first toll-road project in Kalimantan, linking two key cities, namely Balikpapan and Samarinda.

BPJT, an agency under the auspices of the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry, said in a statement Tuesday (02/07) that based on its monitoring process on June 21, the construction of the  99.35-kilometers  toll road is now 90.19 percent complete.

The toll roads construction began in November 2016, comprising of 5 sections, as follow:

- Section I, connecting Balikpapan and Samboja along 22.03 km

- Section II, connecting Samboja and Muara Java along 30.98 km

- Section III, connecting Muara Jawa-Palaran along 17.5 km

- Section IV, connecting Palaran and Samarinda along 17.95 km

- Section V, connecting Balikpapan and Sepingan along 11.09 km.

It said for Section I and V, the construction progress has reached 92.91 percent from completion, section II, section III and section IV is now 92.51 percent complete.

The Balikpapan and Samarinda toll road construction is targeted to be completed by the end of 2019. The total cost to develop the toll road reached Rp9.97 trillion. The project is developed by PT Jasamarga Balikpapan Samarinda, a subsidiary of state toll road operator PT Jasa Marga Tbk (JSMR).

The presence of the toll road is expected to cut logistic and goods costs as well as improve the distribution of goods and services in East Kalimantan. The travel time from Balikpapan to Samarinda is estimated to reduce to only 1 hour, from 3 hours previously.

The government hopes the development of the toll road will stimulate local people's economic activities as well as the planned economic zones in the area. The toll road is also expected to help smoothen the transportation of commodities in the province.

The toll road will also improve the access to the Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Airport, Sepinggan..

Editing by Roffie Kurniawan