The Directorate General (DG) of Bina Marga invites various parties to reduce the heavy burden on national roads that function as logistical routes. After agreeing with the Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub), to optimize the function of the weighbridge on the North Coast (Pantura) of Java and the East Cross (Lintim) of Sumatra, the Directorate General continues to look for solutions to the problem of heavy national road loads.

"Different from other countries, the highway (Indonesia) is the main connectivity for people and services, the number is almost 90 percent," said Director General (Director General) of Bina Marga Arie Setiadi Moerwanto in Jakarta, Monday (27/2).

For Sumatra, Arie said, the Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) had written a letter to the Minister of Transportation to optimize the railroad as a means of transporting logistics goods such as coal, especially for the Lahat area to Palembang, South Sumatra (South Sumatra).

"Later we will help to handle crossings not on the same level," he added.

For Bengkulu, the Director General of Highways claimed to have met with the Governor of Bengkulu to initiate an increase in the role of local small ports. The Directorate General of Highways will attend to assist with the provision of access roads to the port. While in Jambi, internally the Ministry of PUPR, the Directorate General of Highways is exploring cooperation with the Directorate General of Water Resources for the use of rivers as a means of transportation.

"We see possibilities like that. The rivers in Sumatra are wide, inline waterways. We want to make people understand, transportation by river, is not modern. Later we will help make a kade (river port dock), "said Arie.

Similar to the northern coast of Java, the Sumatra Lintim, which is the main channel for distribution of goods in Sumatra, is packed with vehicles carrying loads that exceed the regulations. The heaviest axle load limit (MST) of 10 tons, is often violated by vehicles carrying coal or palm oil. For this reason, DGH encourages control of passing vehicles to prevent damage to national roads.

In the internal environment, DGH also makes improvements in the handling and management of national roads. On several occasions, Arie emphasized to his men about the importance of road drainage. In fact, he asked for drainage that was made not only for roads but also connected to drainage areas or the environment.

"In the past the drainage made was only on the side of the road but not connected until the final faltering, because it had to free the land and it was not the duty of DGH so that audit findings could arise. But now we have obtained permission from the Minister (PUPR) to connect to environmental drainage, "he added.

Groundbreaking efforts include the certification of the Asphalt Mixing Plant (AMP) which was previously issued by the National Center for the Implementation of the National Road (BBPJN), which is currently under the authority of the Road and Bridge Research and Development Center in collaboration with PT Sucofindo. It is hoped that the certification process will become more professional and transparent.

"As for supervision, we cooperate with universities so that they can act as supervision consultants. To be professional, it is also carried out by contract, "explained the Director General of Highways. (KompuBM)