Lampung's Return Route Becomes Sumatra's Main Gateway
Jakarta — The Ministry of Public Works (PU) is accelerating the management of national roads and enhancing infrastructure preparedness to ensure smooth flow of traffic during the 2026 Eid holiday exodus in Lampung Province, which serves as the primary gateway for public mobility towards Sumatra Island.
Lampung holds a strategic role in the national connectivity system as the main entry point from Java Island to Sumatra and vice versa via Bakauheni Port.
For this reason, Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo is committed to ensuring that the national road network remains in optimal condition so that holiday travellers experience safe and comfortable journeys.
“With support from well-maintained national roads and inter-sector coordination, we hope public mobility during the Eid exodus can proceed smoothly,” he stated on Sunday (15 March 2026).
To date, pothole repairs along Lampung’s main holiday route corridors have been completed at over 6,800 locations, with efforts aimed at achieving zero potholes.
Several main corridors available for travellers heading to South Sumatra and other regions include the Bakauheni–Pematang Panggang Toll Road, spanning 253 kilometres; the East Sumatra Cross Route (Jalintim) spanning 285.18 kilometres through East Lampung to Pematang Panggang.
Additionally, the Central Sumatra Cross Route spans 318.47 kilometres, crossing Bandar Lampung City to Way Kanan.
For travellers heading to Bandar Lampung City, two alternative routes are available: the Bakauheni–Terbanggi Besar Toll Road (Bakter) with the Itera Toll exit at kilometre 78, or the Central Sumatra Cross Route via Kalianda, with a distance of approximately 87 kilometres.
Beyond road condition improvements, the Lampung Regional Public Works Financing Institution (BPJN) is also preparing standby teams and heavy equipment at several strategic locations to ensure any urgent traffic disruptions can be addressed immediately.
Multiple locations prone to landslides, flooding, congestion, and accidents have been identified along Lampung’s national road network.
As a mitigation measure, the Ministry of Public Works has deployed Disaster Relief Units (DRU) at risk-prone locations, installed safety warning signs, and increased routine maintenance activities such as drainage cleaning and vegetation control along road reserves.
To support smooth traffic flow towards Bakauheni Port, the Bakauheni–Terbanggi Besar Toll Road operator has also prepared a traffic management scheme featuring a delay system at several rest areas, including kilometre 87B, 49B, 33B, and 20B.
This system aims to regulate vehicle flow to prevent congestion in the port area.