Ministry of Public Works: National roads in Banten support traffic flow to Merak Port
Jakarta – The Ministry of Public Works (PU) has announced that national roads in Banten Province are prepared to support traffic flow towards Merak Port during the Eid holiday exodus.
“The government is committed to ensuring the national road network remains in good condition so that the public’s holiday travel is safe and comfortable,” said Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo in a statement issued in Jakarta on Friday.
The Ministry of Public Works has confirmed the readiness of national road infrastructure in Banten Province to manage the increased traffic during the 2026 Eid holiday exodus and return journeys. Through the Banten National Road Implementation Centre (BPJN), the Directorate General of Road Development has completed various road preservation works before the deadline of ten days before Eid to guarantee smooth public mobility, particularly towards the Merak–Bakauheni crossing area.
“We are targeting completion of all work that could disrupt traffic ten days before Eid. This way, the road surface will be clear of heavy equipment and materials so the public can utilise national roads optimally during the holiday period,” said Dody.
Banten BPJN Head Primawan Avicenna reported that the national road network in Banten Province, spanning 560 kilometres, is generally in good condition with a quality rating of 96 per cent. Several physical works previously underway have now reached their final completion stage.
“Our target is to complete all work by ten days before Eid so road users can travel comfortably. After that period, there will be no more asphalt or concrete work on the road surface,” said Primawan.
Nevertheless, Banten BPJN remains prepared with contingency measures in case damage occurs due to extreme weather. Rapid repairs will be conducted using the Swift Durable Patching (TCM) method with CPHMA material supported by field equipment.
Additionally, the Ministry of Public Works has established eight Eid rest stops along Banten’s national roads that will operate during the holiday period to assist road users.
As a major gateway to Sumatra, traffic volume in Banten is expected to increase significantly, particularly towards three main ports: Merak Port, Ciwandan Port, and Bandar Bakau Jaya (BBJ) Port.
Several traffic management scenarios have been prepared to anticipate vehicle congestion towards the ports, such as managing main access to Merak Port from Toll Exit KM 98. If long queues form, vehicles will be directed via Gerem Junction towards the arterial road to ease congestion.
In certain conditions, such as bad weather that disrupts ship loading and unloading operations, police may implement a delaying system by gradually diverting vehicle flow towards Cilegon West Interchange up to Cilegon East Interchange.
The Ministry of Public Works has also identified several points likely to experience traffic congestion during the holiday period, including the access area towards Merak Port–Cilegon City, Gerem Junction–Cilegon Arterial Road, access towards Ciwandan Port, and the Serang–Cilegon section, which is the main traffic distribution corridor from Jakarta to the ports.