Bitung Underpass Targeted for Completion in 2027 to Ease Congestion on Tangerang’s Pantura Route
Banten – The Ministry of Public Works (Kemen PU) is continuing construction of the Bitung Underpass in Tangerang Regency, Banten, as part of efforts to improve traffic flow on the Serang–Tangerang section of the North Coast Road (Pantura), which has long been a major bottleneck.
The Bitung Underpass is expected to support public mobility while smoothing logistics distribution to industrial and warehouse areas in Bitung and its surroundings.
Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo stated that the underpass construction is a long-term solution to improve road user safety and ease transportation flow in this nationally strategic area.
“It is also hoped to facilitate the economic mobility of communities using the national road,” Dody said in a statement in Jakarta on Tuesday (12/5/2026).
The Bitung area has long been known as a traffic congestion node due to the convergence of vehicles from Serang, Jakarta, and Curug. Congestion frequently occurs, especially during morning and evening peak hours, including queues heading to the Tangerang–Merak Toll Road access.
The Bitung Underpass project is located on the national road section from the Serang/Tangerang Regency border to the Tangerang City border, part of the North Java Cross Corridor (Pantura). This route serves as a vital link for public mobility, logistics vehicles, and access to industrial zones in Tangerang and surrounding areas.
Construction of the underpass is being carried out on the Pantura Road from STA 0+125 to STA 0+475, with the tunnel length reaching 350 meters. It uses a single-cell, two-lane, one-way design for traffic heading from Tangerang to Serang.
The design was adjusted from the original double-cell concept to a single-cell to protect nearby national strategic utilities — specifically PT Pertamina Gas pipelines — while improving construction efficiency.
In addition to the main tunnel, the Ministry of Public Works, through the Banten National Road Implementation Center, is also widening roads at several points to increase traffic capacity and reduce bottlenecks.
- Segment One (after the underpass to the Bitung Toll entry ramp, 150 meters): widened from two to three lanes for traffic from Serang to Tangerang.
- Segment Two (under the Tangerang–Merak Toll overpass, 125 meters): widened from one to two lanes.
- Segment Three (after the toll overpass to the Bitung Toll exit ramp taper, 200 meters): widened from two to three lanes, including the vehicle taper.
This traffic flow arrangement is expected to increase road capacity and smooth vehicle movement in an area that has long been a traffic slowdown point.
As of now, construction progress of the Bitung Underpass has reached 27.32% and is targeted for completion in 2027. The project is supported by various technical documents and planning, including a feasibility study conducted since 2018 (reviewed in 2024), environmental documents, Traffic Impact Analysis (Andalalin), and a review of the Detailed Engineering Design (DED).
The Bitung Underpass construction requires 11,257 m² of land, with land acquisition progress currently at 9,094 m². The remaining 2,163 m² belonging to PT Pertamina Gas has received a principle permit.
During the construction period, the public is urged to anticipate potential traffic congestion around the work site and to obey traffic signs and instructions from field officers.
