"Interregional connectivity is necessary so that goods, services, and people's mobility can be conducted more efficiently, thereby improving regional economic growth and assisting in the development of that area," said Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono in a statement released on Friday.
He stressed that good quality roads would improve the local economy. Maintenance will ensure that roads can be properly used, he added.
He said that he expects the quality of national roads and bridges in Lampung will be improved so that they can serve as alternative routes connecting Lampung and South Sumatra, in addition to the Bakauheni-Terbanggi Besar lane of the Trans Sumatra Toll Road.
The Head of the Lampung National Road Agency, Susan Novelia, said that carrying out such projects every year is necessary to keep roads in prime condition.
"Currently, there is a preservation program that utilizes long segments, which is a thorough maintenance scheme for a lane, taking the service providers' performance into account," she informed.
The national roads in Lampung are arterial roads that connect to Bakauheni Port and South Sumatra, in addition to the Bakauheni-Terbanggi Besar Toll Road.
The 10 road maintenance projects that will be undertaken in Lampung in 2023 include the Pematang Panggang-Simpang Bujung Tenuk (Simpang Penawar-Gedong Aji Baru-Rawajitu) lane and bridge, the Central Lampung district/East Lampung-Way Jepara-Simpang Bakauheni, and Tegineneng-Simpang Tanjung Karang-Km 10 (Terbanggi Besar-Tegineneng-Sukadana) lanes.
They also include the Km 10 (Panjang)-Bakauheni and Sanggi-Gedong Tataan lanes and bridges' maintenance projects.
The ministry will also carry out preservation projects on the Simpang Gunung Kemala-Sanggi, Batas Bengkulu-Simpang Gunung Kemala-Padang Tambak, Padang Tambak-Bukit Kemuning-Batas Sumatra Selatan, Bukit Kemuning-Terbanggi Besar, and Gedong Tataan-Monginsidi roads.
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Translator: Indra Arief Pribadi, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Anton Santoso
Copyright © ANTARA 2023
