Construction Of Jalan Bandara Sepinggan Towards The Capital City Of Nusantara Dikebut, Target Rampung June 2024

The IKN Nusantara area in Sepaku, North Penajam Paser Regency, East Kalimantan. (ANTARA-Bayu Pratama S)

The government is targeting road access from Sepinggan Airport, Balikpapan, East Kalimantan (Kaltim) to the capital city of the archipelago (IKN) to be completed in June 2024.

According to the Head of the Infrastructure Development Association Division of the East Kalimantan National Road Development Center (BBPJN), Punyoto, currently the construction of the Karang Joang Toll Road to the 22-kilometer Balang Island Bridge is in the land acquisition stage.

Then, it will be continued with the construction of a toll road connecting Sepinggan Airport to the 7 kilometer Balikpapan-Samarinda Toll Road. So that the total is 27 kilometers.

"These newly built roads cut the distance and time from existing roads," said Punyoto, quoted from Antara.

Currently, Balikpapan needs at least 90 minutes at the earliest to reach IKN in Sepaku, passing the Balikpapan-Samarinda Toll Road, exiting the Km 38 Toll Gate, and entering the hilly Trans Kalimantan Road and winding along no less than 40 km.

Thus, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), who was already based in IKN, could still quickly reach other regions in Indonesia as he has been doing so far.

In the future, a military airport will also be built at IKN and can be used by the President. It is also planned that President Jokowi will be able to lead the ceremony of the 79th Anniversary of Indonesian Independence on August 17, 2024 at the State Palace in the archipelago.

In the IKN area itself, a number of roads have been completed.

"We have completed the western and eastern sides of the National Ambun Road," continued Punyoto. This road is also an important access road for government activities later.

Adapun Jalan Lingkar Sepaku Satu, Dua, dan Tiga sudah mencapai 90 persen. Kemudian dilanjutkan dengan Jalan Lingkar Sepaku Empaku yang baru mencapai 5 persen pengerjaannya,

The ring roads are temporarily used as access roads for trucks carrying materials for office and housing development. Therefore, this road, just like most roads in IKN, is still on the road with violence and has not been coated with anything on it.