PAPUA – Trans-Papua is one of the most monumental road construction projects of the Reformasi period. This road stretches from the bird’s head region in the Domberai Customary Area, Sorong, West Papua, to Bumi Anim Ha in Merauke, Papua. In total, the length reaches around 3,462 kilometers or more than four times the distance between Jakarta and Surabaya, which is recorded at around 800 kilometers.
The construction of the Trans-Papua Road has covered 3,446 kilometers. Of the 3,446 kilometers, 1,733 kilometers have been paved and the remaining 1,712 kilometers have not been paved. The construction of the Trans-Papua Road is included in the National Strategic Project (PSN) and the 2020-2024 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN).
Quoted from the document entitled “Roads in Indonesia: from Sabang to Merauke” compiled by the research team of the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing, the Trans-Papua Road was built to improve the welfare of the Papuan people by increasing access and connectivity between regions so as to open isolated areas. Prior to the road network, connections between regions in Papua had to rely on air transportation which had an impact on the high prices of basic necessities.
In addition, the Trans-Papua development is also expected to reduce the costliness index, reduce poverty, and equalize infrastructure development throughout Indonesia.
In 2004, the length of national roads in Papua was only 2,303.16 km. Therefore, President Joko Widodo initiated the construction of the 3,535 km Trans-Papua road in 2015. The total length is divided into two provinces. Papua Province along 2,465 km and West Papua along 1,070 km. “We hope that with the completion of these Trans-Papua roads, the mobility of goods, mobility of people, logistics delivery, can be even faster and ultimately reduce transportation logistics costs. I think the direction is there,” Jokowi said when reviewing the Trans-Papua project work.
