EXTREME WEATHER AND ROAD CONDITION

One of the very vital factors that support economic activities is road and transportation infrastructures. China’s economy is growing rapidly because it is supported by better transportations infrastructures if compared to other developing countries. Road infrastructures is major factor that supports the economy and guarantees smooth mobility of persons and good. Cheaper cost of distribution and cheaper cost of logistics could reduce high-cost economy. Indonesia is a very large country composing of thousands of island, mountains, and rivers, and with unflat land surface topography. Such natural condition causes high coat of construction and maintenance of roads and bridges in Indonesia.

Many of the national roads, provincial roads, and regental roads have been severely damaged, bridges broken, and landslides happen. News coverage of many information media reported that in Karawang area its surrounding areas, 159 km of roads are damage and 3 bridges broken. The total repair budget estimated is Rp. 42.5 billions. The Transportation and Irrigation Agency only has a budget of Rp. 3 billions.

In Anyer, the road to recreational area is also severely damage. Tourist visit in New Year 2011 drop up to 40 percent. In Kudus, 176.3 km of roads are severely damage and 151.02 km is suffering from medium damage. Only 17.4 km that has been repaired. In Riau, on Pekanbaru-Dumai route, many road points are severely damage. While, in fact, this route is passed by a quite high volume of vehicles.

Many provincial roads in Bengkulu are severely damaged as a result of coal transportation with a weight of 28-34 tons each truck. The road tonnage for 3rd class trucks with a capacity of 12 tons.

Land transportation form Jakarta to southern part Sumatera was delayed 3 to 4 hours. Hundreds of kilometers of provincial roads in North Sulawesi are severely damage. Road condition as reported by many information media is, for the most part, national and provincial roads.

In 2011, the road problem demands immediate repair. If not this could become a problem in achieving target of economic growth, reduction of poverty, and prevention of food problem.

But, the main problem is insufficient budget. It is impossible to collect money form the private sectors because the private sector is not interested in toll road projects. In the State Budget Plan (RAPN) 2011, road infrastructure is not on government’s priority list. We could only expect that the rainfall in 2011 will not damage be as heavy as in last year so that the number of damage roads as a result of open pools of water, flooding, and landslides will not increase.