Manado - Manado - Bitung (Mabit) Toll Road Development is expected not only to facilitate access to goods and services to the Bitung International Port, one of the export and import gates for eastern Indonesia, but also to support the Tourism sector in North Sulawesi Province, especially on Lembeh Island. The Mabit Toll Road was initially targeted to be completed by the end of 2019, but because the land acquisition process has not been completed for 13 Km, it is expected to be completed by April 2020

"(Mabit Toll Road) Will support both tourism and industry. New tourism on Lembeh Island and supporting industries, especially the fishing industry and Bitung Special Economic Zone (KEK) as port access. This will trigger the economy in Bitung to flourish, "said President Jokowi reviewing the construction of the 39.9 KM Mabit Toll Road precisely at the Airmadidi Interchange on Friday (07/07/2019).

PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono said to support tourism on Lembeh Island, a bridge to the island will begin in 2020. "Later, this toll road will not only be connected to the port and Kitung Bitung and Tanjung Pulisan - Likupang alone but also for the island tourism area. "Lembeh, which can be accessed through the port of Bitung. The access is in the form of building a connecting bridge from the Port of Bitung to Lembeh Island with a length of about 1 Km with a budget requirement of Rp 500 billion to begin construction in 2020," he added.

The Manado-Bitung Toll Road was built under the Government and Business Cooperation (PPP) scheme with a total investment value of Rp 6.19 trillion. The presence of the first toll road in North Sulawesi will reduce the travel time of Manado to Bitung and vice versa from now around 90-120 minutes, to around 30 minutes. In addition, it can also reduce the risk of traffic accidents on arterial roads that have begun to experience overcrowding.

The Manado-Bitung Toll Road has two sections. Section 1 of the Manado-Sukur-Air Madidi Ring Road (14 Km) was carried out by the Ministry of PUPR with the progress of Section 1A (7 Km) reaching 90.65% and targeted to be completed in October 2019 and Section 1B (7 Km) already completed 100% and is targeted to operate in October 2019.

Government funding for the construction of Section 1 amounting to Rp 3 trillion, is government support to increase the level of investment feasibility of the Mabit toll road. Whereas Section 2 of Air Madidi - Bitung (25 Km) is undertaken by PT Jasa Marga Manado Bitung Toll Road Business Entity (BUJT) which is divided into Section 2A Air Madidi - Danowudu (11.5 Km) with 87.23% progress and Section 2B Danowudo - Bitung (13.5 Km) the progress is 19.37%. This toll road has five Interchanges (SS) namely, Manado SS SS Air Madidi, SS Kauditan, SS Danowudu and SS Bitung.
 
Improvement of Non-Toll National Roads in North Sulawesi

The PUPR Ministry through the Directorate General of Highways also handles the Non-Toll National Road that connects Manado-Bitung-Likupang. In 2016 an increase in Likupang Road (7.7 Km) with a budget of Rp 41 billion. In 2019 two activities were carried out, namely the improvement of the Girian Road (Bitung) -Likupang (7.9 Km) with a budget of 57 billion and the Likupang Tourism Access Road (6 Km) with a budget of Rp 48 billion.

2020 will be continued to increase the Girian Road (Bitung) -Likupang (5 Km) with a budget of 40 billion and the Likupang Tourism Access Road (3 Km) with a budget of Rp. 25 billion.

Accompanying the Minister Basuki were the Director General of Highways Sugiyartanto, the Director General of Cipta Karya Danis H. Sumadilaga, the Head of the XV National Road Implementation Center for North Sulawesi and Gorontalo Region Triono Junoasmono, the Head of the Sulawesi River Hall 1 M. Silachoedin, the Head of the Rusan Settlement Infrastructure, Muhammad Nur Taib and Head of the Public Communications Bureau Endra S. Atmawidjaja. (*)

Public Communications Bureau

Ministry of PUPR