Suramadu Bridge

Suramadu is a bridge connecting Java and Madura island. The ramp on Java island exists on Surabaya while the ramp of Madura island exist on Bangkalan. The name of Suramadu is actually an acronym of Sura-baya and Madu-ra.
With its total length reaching 5,438 metres, Suramadu is currently the longest bridge in Indonesia and definitely is the next modern landmark of Indonesia after Monas in Jakarta. The construction was done separately at three different sides. In both Bangkalan and Surabaya the causeways were built to connect the local road to the bridge, while in the middle the main bridge and the approach bridge were also built. This two ways bridge contains two lanes, one emergency lane, and one motorcycle lane for each direction.

Officially opened on June 10^th, 2009, Suramadu started its history since early of 1960 decade when Prof. Dr. Sedyatmo (whose name is also used for a toll road in Jakarta that acts as main gateway to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport) invented an idea about direct connection between Sumatra and Java.

Since then, the project has involved many pre-development studies to seek what would be affected regarding natural condition and social-economy aspects within the region.

Later at 1986, the project was re-aimed to handle a larger region which would include Bali as the third island, therefore the project was named Tri Nusa Bima Sakti. Since this year, Indonesia also involved technical staffs from Japan.

At December 14^th, 1990, Presidential Regulation 55 of 1990 about Surabaya-Madura Bridging Project was issued to build a team to handle this project and to set it as national project.

However, monetary crisis happened in Indonesia in 1997 has suspended some projects from running, including the Suramadu Bridging Project.

In 2000, the local government of East Java has taken the responsibility to continue building the project with help from PT Jasa Marga.

Presidential Regulation 79 of 2003 has included a more specific regional space plan between both side that was hoped to handle the uneven social development between two sides as for a long time, having no land access to the island had limited Madura’s chance to grow as a more well-developed and modern island.

The construction started in August 2003 was stopped at the end of 2004 due to lack of funds, but later was restarted in November 2005 after the economic situation was relieved.

The last part of construction, which is to connect the main span of the bridge has finally done on March 31^st, 2009 that marked the accomplishment of a long way development history of Suramadu.

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