The government plans to build more than 5,000 kilometers of new roads in the next five years to improve connectivity to seaports, industrial zones, tourist destinations and isolated areas.

Deputy Public Works and Housing Minister Wempi Wetipo said in Jakarta on Tuesday that the new roads would comprise 1,500 km of toll roads and 2,509 km of national roads in many parts of the country. In addition to new roads, the government will also build elevated bridges or overpasses with a total length of 60 km, he said.

“The construction of new roads will be focused on supporting disadvantaged regions, industrial zones, tourist destinations – especially the priority tourism projects – as well as to support the new capital city development in East Kalimantan," said Wempi.

Wempi said the development of new roads and bridges would be supported modern construction technology to achieve efficiency in cost and time as well as to ensure quality.

The director general of highways at the Public Works and Housing Ministry, Sugiyartanto, said one of latest technologies to be used was building information modeling (BIM), which can help make 3D models, designs and construction. This technology has been used in road development projects in Mandalika, NTB and the Pansela Route.

"With BIM technology, the design will be more actual and real. For example when design a bridge, with this technology we will know how thick the concrete will be, how much steel we need, and much more. Everything can be visualized, so it is easier for us to work on it," said Sugiyartanto, adding that the BIM technology could improve efficiency and accountability in infrastructure development.

During the last five years, the government has built new toll roads totaling about 1,000 km, regular roads with a total length of 3,387 km and 330 elevated bridges.