The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is putting $300 million into building about 72 kilometers of new roads along Java’s southern coast to connect cut-off farming areas to markets and services, the bank announced. Right now, traveling from Jember to Banyuwangi in East Java means an eight-hour slog over a narrow dirt track full of gaps. The new roads will shrink that trip to around two hours.
Java’s southern coast has been stuck in the slow lane while the north got highways and industry. Farmers have a hard time getting their crops to buyers, and families struggle to reach schools and health centers. Bobur Alimov, ADB’s country director for Indonesia, said the project fills a major infrastructure hole and builds roads tough enough to survive floods and storms without getting washed away.
The design includes stronger drainage, slopes reinforced with plants and natural materials, and bridges that stay usable when the weather turns nasty. It all lines up with Indonesia’s climate promises under the Paris Agreement and the country’s development plans running through 2045. ADB’s broader Indonesia strategy through 2029 focuses on boosting competitiveness and building infrastructure that won’t collapse under climate pressure.
Women will get at least 10 percent of the skilled construction jobs, and road safety programs are being tailored for women, children, and people with disabilities. Local groups will teach people how to use the new roads safely, and there are steps in place to prevent gender-based violence and human trafficking while construction crews are on the ground.
The project shows how roads can do more than just move goods—they can shield communities from disasters, put people to work, and crack open opportunities for those who’ve been stuck on the margins.
