President Joko Widodo inaugurated the 30.9 kilometer Pekanbaru-Bangkinang toll road. This toll road is part of the Pekanbaru-Padang Trans Sumatra Toll Road network. Jokowi explained that this toll road would spend a budget of up to IDR 4.8 trillion. Starting today, the toll road can be tested in full, having previously opened it functionally during the Christmas and New Year holiday season.
“From Pekanbaru to Bangkinang, we will also inaugurate 30.9 kilometers which cost a budget of IDR 4.8 trillion today. Then, later it will be connected to the Pekanbaru circle, so that Dumai Pekanbaru Bangkinang will be connected.” Jokowi said during the inauguration at the Bangkinang Toll Gate which was broadcast virtually, Wednesday (4/1/2023).
According to him, this toll road will have quite large traffic. Previous experience is that there is already a Pekanbaru-Dumai toll road with quite high traffic, more than 8,000 vehicles per day. So when will this toll road be connected from Pekanbaru to Padang? Jokowi said it seemed that it would still take a long time. “Continue towards Padang, when will it finish? I can’t talk. Because it’s still long,” said Jokowi.
Jokowi hopes that with the Pekanbaru-Bangkinang toll road, the speed of mobility of people, goods and services will improve, thereby increasing the competitiveness of existing products in Riau province. He also hopes that this toll road will be able to grow new economic centers and ultimately open jobs and provide welfare to the community.
January 4, 2023, detikFinance
(https://finance.detik.com/infrastruktur/d-6498277/jokowi-resmikan-tol-pekanbaru-bangkinang-30-km-habiskan-rp-48-t)