Bina Marga - Balang Island Bridge Construction in East Kalimantan (East Kalimantan) continues. The bridge, with a total development fund of Rp1.33 trillion, is targeted at the Directorate General (DG) of Bina Marga to be completed in November next year.

Head of the Work Unit (Kasatker) for the Implementation of Balang Island II Bridge Edwin Suratman, said that technically the most critical stage had been successfully carried out. The difficult process consisted of installing 144 units of piles. This stage was carried out for almost a year.

"It's difficult because the bottom of the sea turned out to be rock, but we have done it," Edwin told reporters who came directly to the location to cover the progress of the Balang Island Bridge construction on Friday (6/9).

The challenges of working on the bridge with a main span of 804 meters include the weather problem. At the construction site, rain is quite frequent and the sea water flow is quite high. Edwin added, another challenge was that most of the material had to be imported from outside Kalimantan.

"Cement was brought in from Tonasa, Makassar, then aggregate sand from Palu and concrete mixed fly ash from Paiton. While most heavy equipment is also from Jakarta," he continued.

Until the beginning of September, the physical progress of the bridge began to be carried out in September 2015 already at 58 23 percent. while the budget realization of the total construction fund of Rp1.33 trillion has reached 60.48 percent.

Balang Island Bridge Construction was carried out jointly by the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) through the Directorate General of Highways, the East Kalimantan Provincial Government and the Penajam District Government. The Directorate General of Highways is responsible for the construction of the main bridge (804 meters), approach bridge (167 meters) and access road (1,969 meters) on its Balang Island.

"For the access road on the Penajam side, the Regency Government is working and the Balikpapan side is built by the Provincial Government," said Edwin.

This bridge will have a width of 22.4 meters consisting of four lanes accompanied by pedestrian. The implementing contractor is a consortium between PT Hutama Karya, PT Adhi Karya and PT Bangun Cipta Konstruksi. The bridge with the cable stayed structure type will be the second longest main span bridge in Indonesia after the Suramadu Bridge in East Java. Balang Island Bridge will have a length of 402 meters between pilons.

During this time, land transportation going to Penajam from Balikpapan or the reverse direction must turn to the north with a distance of about 100 Km and a travel time of 5 hours. With the bridge later, Edwin explained the distance would be reduced to only around 30 km that could be crossed in just one hour.

The benefits of the bridge will support transportation from the Kariangau Container Port of Balikpapan and the development of the Kariangau industrial area. Another benefit is reducing traffic density in the city of Balikpapan, in accordance with the concept of an inter-city road network that does not have to go through inner-city roads. (Kompas BM)