President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo inaugurated seven toll road sections on Thursday, which completed a highway network that now connects West and East Java, a project that has been four decades in the making.

With the inauguration, Merak Port in Cilegon, Banten, is now officially connected to Pasuruan, East Java, thus extending the road to 993 kilometers, connecting major cities from Jakarta to Surabaya.

Holidaymakers who are hitting the road for the Christmas and New Year holiday this weekend will have more options — to travel on regular or toll roads.

“This is a new history for Indonesian transportation,” Jokowi said during the inauguration.

“Starting today [...] the toll road between Jakarta and Surabaya is already connected and can be used by the public.”

He added that the toll roads would improve the movement of goods as the government was also aiming to integrate the toll roads with industrial areas, special economic zones and tourist sites in the surrounding areas.

The government has been trying to build the trans-Java toll road since 1978.

The projects have long been delayed due to land acquisition problems, bureaucracy and ever-changing developers.

The Jokowi administration completed the construction of a 616-km section of the road between 2015 and 2018, which added to the 242 km built between 1978 and 2004, as well as the 75 km constructed between 2005 and 2014.

The government is aiming to complete the remaining 217-km toll road connecting Pasuruan to Banyuwangi, the eastern regency of East Java that lies across from Bali, by 2021.

On Thursday, Jokowi and his entourage also rode a bus from Surabaya to Kendal, Central Java, on the 349-km toll road.

The President made two stops to inaugurate the new road sections, which comprise four in East Java and three in Central Java.

The four in East Java comprise Wilangan-Kertosono, Pasuruan-Grati, Porong-Gempol Relocation and Bandar-Kertosono toll roads, totaling 59 km, while the three in Central Java are Pemalang-Batang, Batang-Semarang and Salatiga-Kartasura toll roads, which total 142 km.

“We will continue to push for investment in the industrial areas, both for existing and new industries, which we hope will create more employment opportunities,” Jokowi said.

Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono said the seven new toll road sections would be fully operational for the Christmas and New Year holiday.

“The fees are still pinned at zero rupiah until January,” he added.

Infrastructure development has been a key issue in Jokowi’s presidential campaign ahead of the election on April 17 and his administration’s achievements have been heavily promoted by his supporters.

Jokowi himself admitted that the large road projects, along with the construction of airports and seaports, that he had been pushing for was part of his strategy to realize campaign pledges and win the hearts of voters.

Aside from realizing the trans-Java project, he has also pushed for the completion of the MRT, which has been on the drawing board for more than two decades, in Jakarta by next year.

Central Java is regarded as the stronghold of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), which backed Jokowi’s presidency and reelection bid.

East Java, meanwhile, is widely considered the traditional base of Islamic mass organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), of which Jokowi’s running mate, Ma’ruf Amin, is a senior figure.

Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo said the Semarang-Surakarta toll road would ease the commute for residents, cutting traveling time to only 90 minutes compared to three hours on regular roads.

He added that he would make sure fuel supplies would be available to travelers who use the toll road during the holidays.

Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said the government would review toll fees, adding that the current fees were not expensive when taking into account that a car usually comprised up to four travelers.

“We will look into whether the fees can still support our situation,” he said.

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