Panoramic highway and Bali's expanded airport ready for APEC Summit - eTurboNews

One week before the APEC Summit to be held from October 1-8, the island of Bali, Indonesia, is ready to host one of the world’s most prestigious conferences, to be attended by 21 heads of states, ministers and delegations, members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. Among the heads of state confirmed attending are President Obama of the United States, President Putin of Russia, and China’s President Xi Jinping.
On Monday, September 23, Indonesia’s President Yudhoyono will officially declare open Bali’s first, panoramic 12.7 km toll road between the island’s Ngurah Rai Airport and Nusa Dua and Benoa harbor, of which 10 km sweeps across the beautiful Benoa Bay passing over mangrove forests, confirmed Minister of State Enterprises, Dahlan Iskan. Also officially opened will be Bali’s expanded airport, where its new International Arrival Hall already started operations smoothly on Thursday, September 19, without glitches.
Also ready are the Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center and the Bali International Convention Center in Nusa Dua, as are 22 hotels at Nusa Dua, Tanjung Benoa, Sawangan, Legian, Kuta and Sanur, and other locations to accommodate heads of state and officials, CEOs and international media.
Some 5,000 to 7,000 delegates are expected to attend APEC, among whom, 1,000 CEO’s of the world’s corporations, while the Media Center is ready to serve 3,500 to 5,000 of world journalists.
In the meantime, even today Bali is already in full swing of operations for APEC, since APEC Finance Ministers have started convening here for their deliberations, as has the APEC High Level Meeting on Health and Economy. On October 1-2, is scheduled the High Level Dialogue on Travel Facilitation. Pinnacle of the Conference will be on October 1-8, when APEC Economic Leaders will have one whole week of discussions and related meetings. Meanwhile, from October 2-5, the 4th APEC Business Advisory Council will hold its own separate meeting.
BALI’S BEAUTIFUL NEW TOLL ROAD
“Everything is according to schedule” confirmed Minister Dahlan Iskan.
“Moreover, the completion of the road was even faster than anticipated. The paving and installation of road markers, toll booths and lighting is now completed.”
Safety testing and roadworthiness evaluations were undertaken since mid-July 2013.
Earlier, Minister Dahlan Iskan said that the Airport-Nusa Dua-Bali toll road has achieved 3 top records. These are: (1) The toll road, 12 km of which is built over the sea is the longest of its kind in Indonesia, longer than the existing bridge between Surabaya and the island of Madura in East Java, and was completed in only 14 months, including preparation time. (2) It is the most beautiful and most panoramic of them all. And (3) The toll road has a special, dedicated lane for motorbikes. “From the airport to Nusa Dua over the toll road will now take only 9 minutes” gushed the Minister. Since it is largely built over the sea, the new toll road is equipped with wind speed monitors and CCTV cameras.
Construction of the road was undertaken by a project consortium comprised of a number State-owned companies: PT Jasa Marga Bali, PT Pelindo III, PT Angkasa Pura I, PT Pengembangan Pariwisata Bali, PT Wijaya Karya, PT Adhi Karya and PT Hutama Karya.
The Bali toll road together with the completion of the Simpang Siur underpass, are expected to reduce heavy traffic congestion that has so far best this part of Bali.
www.indonesia.travel