BANDAR LAMPUNG, KOMPAS – Lampung is well prepared for accommodating road transportation during the annual Lebaran exodus. Bakauheni Port and the Eastern Trans-Sumatera Highway to Bandar Lampung are ready to serve travelers from Java.However, the border roads to South Sumatra province needs improvement.
Based on the observation of Kompas’ exodus (mudik) monitoring team, at the end of May month, the ferry crossing to Bakauheni Port was smooth. Seven docks will be operated to cut the crossing time from two hours to 1.5 hours.
"According to the plan, the seventh dock will be operated from June 15, 2017 in anticipation of the surge of passenger numbers. The new dock will be operated until five days after Idul Fitri, when it will be closed again to complete its construction," said Yepri Hendri, the operating manager of PT ASDP’s Bakauheni unit.
To accelerate the outflow and inflow of vehicles at the port, PT ASDP will increase the number of entry gates for large vehicles from eight to 14 gates. Entry gates for motorcycles will be increased from one to 14 gates.
Congestionusually occurs when vehicles exit Bakauheni Port to head to their destinations in other parts of Sumatra. To overcome this, the Lampung Transportation Agency will open a 7-kilometer toll road from the port to the Eastern Trans-Sumatera Highway.
"The toll road has been constructed and is ready to be used by private vehicles. The operation of the toll road can reduce the traffic density," said Defri Maulana, head of development of Zone A, Section 1 of the Bakauheni-Hatta Village toll road.
The road linking Bakauheni and Bandar Lampung is also in good condition. However, several sections of road between Bandar Lampung and Mesuji, near the South Sumatran border, are in bad condition.
In Menggala, the road has many potholes and a bridge has a steel plate covering a large hole. Mesuji also has many potholes in the road, while the Way Tulung Gunung bridge at the border of Lampung and South Sumatra is also in bad condition.
Beaches
Travelers who go to Lampung can also enjoy the beauty of several beaches on Lampung Bay around Kalianda. One of these is Embe Beach, which is two hours from Bandar Lampung. The soft, white sand beach and calm waves allow visitors to play in the sea comfortably. Bukit Muncak in Teluk Pandan district, Pesawaran, about 45 minutes from Bandar Lampung is another option. A beautiful view of Lampung Bay can be seen from the peak.