INDONESIA- Indonesia Plans $10bn Java-Sumatra Bridge

The governors of the Indonesian provinces of Banten and Lampung have signed a memorandum with a consortium led by Wiratman & Associates and PT Artha Graha Network to build a 30km bridge to link the islands of Java and Sumatra at an estimated cost of 10 billion US dollars.The bridge across the Sunda Strait will connect Merak Port in western Java with Bakauheni Port in southern Sumatra, and is expected to alleviate chronic traffic congestion at the Merak-Bakauheni ferry crossing.A preliminary study will start later this year and is expected to be completed in 2009. It will take three more years to conduct a feasibility study before construction can begin in 2012. The project is expected to be completed in 2025.