The Papua and West Papua provinces of Indonesia, which are on the island of New Guinea, are connected by 12 road segments collectively known as the Trans Papua Highway (Indonesian: Jalan Raya Trans-Papua), some of which are still under construction. The highways cover a distance of 4,325 kilometers from Sorong to Merauke (2,687 mi).
There are currently 3,850 km (2,390 mi) of roads under construction. The government completed all routes by 2018 according to the timeline. The structure was, however, delayed by armed conflict during the late part of 2018.
Trans Papua Highway Span
This road stretches from the bird’s head area in the Domberai Customary Area, Sorong, West Papua, to Bumi Anim Ha in Merauke, Papua. The length is approximately 3,462 kilometers, or more than four times the approximate 800-kilometer distance between Jakarta and Surabaya.
Reporting from the Setkab.go.id website, Presidential Special Staff Billy Mambrasar said that until September 2021, the construction of the Trans Papua Road had penetrated 3,446 kilometers. 3,446 kilometers have been divided into 1,733 asphalted kilometers and 1,712 unpaved kilometers.
The National Strategic Project (PSN) and the 2020-2024 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN) include building the Trans Papua.
Road Segments of Trans Papua
1. In West Papua
The West Papua road network consists of four segments:
- Sorong-Manokwari
- Manokwari-Bintuni-Aroba-Teluk Arguni
- Fakfak-Hurimber-Bomberay
- Sorong-Mega Moraid
2. In Papua
In Papua, there are 8 separate road segments totaling 2,345.40 km (1,457.36 mi); until October 2019, just 31.96 km were still unconnected. The asphalt has been laid over 874,45 km of the linked segments, leaving 1.465,46 km to be covered.
- Segment I: Kwatisore-Nabire, 208.10 kilometers
- Segment II: Nabire-Wagete-Enarotali, 275.50 kilometers
- Segment III: Enarotali-Ilaga-Mulia-Wamena, 469.48 kilometers
- Segment IV: Wamena-Eleum-Jayapura, 447.22 kilometers
- Segment V: Wamena-Habema-Kenyam-Mumugi, 271.60 kilometers
- Segment VI: Kenyam-Dekai, 217.90 kilometers
- Segment VII: Dekai-Oksibil, 231.60 kilometers
- Segment VIII: Wagete-Timika, 224.00 kilometers
Papua Before Trans Papua Highway Exist
According to a report authored by a team of researchers from the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing entitled “Roads in Indonesia: from Sabang to Merauke.” The highway’s purpose is to improve the welfare of the Papuan people by increasing access and connectivity between regions to open isolated areas.
Before the road network, connections between regions in Papua had to rely on air transportation, resulting in the high prices of necessities.
Trans Papua is also anticipated to spread infrastructure development equitably across Indonesia, lower poverty rates, and lower cost indices.
Papua’s national road measured only 2,303.16 kilometers in 2004. Therefore, President Joko Widodo began constructing the 3,535 km Trans-Papua road in 2015. Two provinces make up the total length. Papua Province is 2,465 km long, and West Papua is 1,070 km long.
“We hope that with the completion of the Trans Papua Highway, 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,” said Jokowi while reviewing the Trans-Papua project. Papua, Friday.
Government Hope Trans Papua Highway is Complete and Fully Function on 2024
The Trans-Papua Road will finish progressively by 2024, thanks to the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing’s assurance.
According to a ministry spokeswoman, the 183-kilometer Keerom Batom portion and the Jayapura-Oksibil corridor, two of the Trans-Papua Road system’s unfinished highways, will be finished gradually by 2024 Endra S. Atmawidjaja.
He stated that the completion of the interprovincial Jayapura-Wamena section is anticipated to serve as the primary logistical corridor for the highland region. The Manokwari-Mameh-Windesi-Kampung Muri-Kwatisore-Batas Papua road section in West Papua will be priorities in developing the Trans Papua Highway until 2024.
