Alternative Medan-Berastagi route expected to be completed by 2029
The North Sumatra provincial government is working on an alternative route from Medan to Berastagi specifically designed for tourist vehicles. This route aims to alleviate traffic congestion on the main road, Jalan Jamin Ginting, and improve road safety.
Construction and upgrades for the route are expected to begin in 2027 and be completed in phases between 2028 and 2029.
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North Sumatra Governor Muhammad Bobby Afif Nasution announced the plan during a meeting with the Karo Intellectuals Association (ICK) at the Mikie Holiday Resort and Hotel on Jalan Jamin Ginting, Sempajaya, in the Karo Regency, on Wednesday, September 2, 2026.
Bobby stated that the project to build the Medan-Berastagi toll road would continue to be advocated for inclusion in the national planning agenda of Bappenas (the Ministry of National Development Planning).
However, given the lengthy timeframe required for toll road construction, the North Sumatra provincial government is taking immediate action by upgrading various existing roads in Deli Serdang and Karo—roads currently under the jurisdiction of the central, provincial, and regency governments. The goal is to establish alternative routes specifically for tourist vehicles.
“The plan is for this physical work to commence no later than 2027 and conclude in 2028–2029. This alternative route is intended for tourist vehicles or vehicles with a maximum of six wheels. Meanwhile, we will continue to route logistics traffic via the existing main road, Jalan Jamin Ginting,” Bobby said.
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In addition to road construction and improvements, Bobby believes that extensive interventions are also needed in tourist areas, particularly at the Berastagi Grand Forest Park (Tahura) and the Berastagi Struggle Monument.
He stated that the North Sumatra provincial government would not build large-scale commercial complexes such as shopping malls or hotels, but would instead prioritize improving basic infrastructure in the area.
These improvements include street lighting, drainage systems, pedestrian walkways, and public spaces. According to Bobby, the area’s improvement is expected to generate a greater economic impact on the surrounding community.
“We want the intervention in this area to have a positive economic effect on the local community, similar to what we achieved with the redevelopment of Medan’s Old Town,” Bobby added.
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This initiative also aligns with the North Sumatra provincial government’s medium-term development plan (RPJMD), specifically regarding the development of mountain tourism areas around Karo, Dairi, and Pakpak Bharat.
During the meeting, Chandra Dalimunthe, Head of the North Sumatra Public Works, Construction, and Spatial Planning Agency (BMBK-CK), presented a technical map of various road sections to be addressed in support of the Medan-Berastagi alternative route.
One of these interventions involves widening the Medan-Namorambe-Sembahe route. From the Hairos/Poci intersection on Jalan Jamin Ginting, tourist vehicles will be directed left onto the alternative route through the district. The road will be widened from its current width of approximately 4 meters to between 6 and 8 meters.
The 18-kilometer-long route will be upgraded to a provincial road. This widening is expected to increase capacity and improve the flow of tourist vehicles heading to Berastagi.
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In addition, the North Sumatra provincial government plans to construct a viaduct and a bypass in the Sembahe area. The plan includes building a new 330-meter road and an 82-meter viaduct over the national road towards the Tandu Benua area, aiming to reduce gradients and eliminate traffic obstacles.
The North Sumatra provincial government is also planning a large-scale rest area in the Suka Nalu area, along the 14-kilometer route to the Murni State Vocational School. The rest area will feature an open design and is expected to become a key stopover for tourists.
Regional development is also proceeding with the construction of a new 3.8-kilometer route starting from Sibiru-biru and passing through the Pertamina/Simpang Ketaren area. This brings the total length of the supporting roads from Medan to the area to an estimated 28 kilometers.
Professor Sukarya Sinulingga, a representative of the Karo Intellectuals Association, welcomed the planned development and the assessment of the alternative route.
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He stated that the project has the potential to address at least three or four major bottlenecks that hinder mobility and logistics between Karo and Medan.
“We express our gratitude, and on behalf of the Karo people, we are very pleased with this news. We will certainly continue to support this development,” said Sukarya Sinulingga. ***rel
Jalur Alternatif Medan–Berastagi Ditargetkan Rampung 2029
Pemerintah Provinsi (Pemprov) Sumatera Utara (Sumut) menyiapkan jalur alternatif Medan–Berastagi yang akan difokuskan untuk kendaraan wisata guna mengurai kemacetan sekaligus meningkatkan keselamatan lalu lintas di jalur utama Jalan Jamin Ginting.
Pembangunan dan penataan jalur tersebut ditargetkan mulai dikerjakan pada 2027 dan rampung secara bertahap pada 2028–2029.
Rencana tersebut disampaikan Gubernur Sumut Muhammad Bobby Afif Nasution saat menerima audiensi pengurus Ikatan Cendekiawan Karo (ICK) di Mikie Holiday Resort and Hotel, Jalan Jamin Ginting Sempajaya, Kabupaten Karo, Rabu, 2 September 2026.
Bobby mengatakan, pembangunan jalan tol Medan–Berastagi tetap didorong agar masuk dalam blueprint perencanaan nasional di Bappenas.
Namun, karena pembangunan jalan tol membutuhkan waktu yang panjang, Pemprov Sumut mengambil langkah cepat dengan mengintervensi sejumlah ruas jalan existing milik pemerintah pusat, provinsi, dan kabupaten di Deli Serdang serta Karo untuk dijadikan jalur alternatif khusus kendaraan wisata.
“Target maksimal pengerjaan intervensi fisik ini mulai berjalan pada 2027 hingga selesai pada 2028–2029. Jalur alternatif ini difokuskan untuk kendaraan wisata atau roda enam ke bawah. Sementara jalur logistik tetap kami arahkan melewati rute utama Jalan Jamin Ginting yang ada saat ini,” ujar Bobby.
Selain pembangunan dan penataan jalan, Bobby menilai intervensi kawasan wisata juga perlu dilakukan secara masif, khususnya di kawasan Taman Hutan Raya (Tahura) Berastagi dan Tugu Perjuangan Berastagi.
Pemprov Sumut, kata dia, tidak akan membangun fasilitas komersial berskala besar seperti mal atau hotel, tetapi lebih memprioritaskan pembenahan infrastruktur dasar kawasan.
Pembenahan tersebut meliputi penerangan jalan, drainase, jalur pedestrian hingga ruang publik. Menurut Bobby, penataan kawasan diharapkan mampu memberikan dampak ekonomi yang lebih besar bagi masyarakat sekitar.
“Kami ingin intervensi kawasan ini memberikan dampak ekonomi (positive spillover) bagi masyarakat lokal, mirip seperti yang kami lakukan saat meremajakan kawasan Kota Lama Medan,” tambah Bobby.
Intervensi tersebut juga telah diselaraskan dengan dokumen RPJMD Pemprov Sumut, khususnya dalam pengembangan kawasan wisata pegunungan yang mencakup Karo, Dairi, dan Pakpak Bharat.
Dalam kesempatan tersebut, Kepala Dinas Bina Marga, Bina Konstruksi, dan Cipta Karya (BMBK-CK) Sumut Chandra Dalimunthe memaparkan pemetaan teknis sejumlah ruas yang akan diintervensi untuk mendukung jalur alternatif Medan–Berastagi.
Salah satunya melalui pelebaran jalur Medan–Namorambe–Sembahe. Dari kawasan Hairos/Simpang Poci di Jalan Jamin Ginting, kendaraan wisata nantinya diarahkan ke kiri menuju rute alternatif kabupaten dengan pelebaran jalan dari kondisi existing sekitar 4 meter menjadi 6–8 meter.
Jalur sepanjang 18 kilometer tersebut direncanakan beralih status menjadi Jalan Provinsi. Pelebaran ini diharapkan meningkatkan kapasitas sekaligus memperlancar pergerakan kendaraan wisata menuju Berastagi.
Selanjutnya, Pemprov Sumut merencanakan pembangunan overpass dan sudetan di wilayah Sembahe. Rencana tersebut mencakup pembangunan jalan baru sepanjang 330 meter dan overpass sepanjang 82 meter yang melintasi jalan nasional menuju kawasan Tandu Benua untuk memotong tanjakan dan mengurangi hambatan perjalanan.
Pemprov Sumut juga merancang pembangunan rest area berskala besar di kawasan Suka Nalu, pada rute sepanjang 14 kilometer menuju SMK Negeri Murni. Rest area tersebut akan dikembangkan dengan konsep terbuka dan diharapkan menjadi tempat persinggahan utama bagi wisatawan.
Penataan juga dilanjutkan melalui pembangunan trase baru sepanjang 3,8 kilometer dari Sibiru-biru yang akan menembus kawasan Pertamina/Simpang Ketaren. Dengan demikian, total panjang intervensi jalan penunjang dari Medan hingga kawasan tersebut diperkirakan mencapai 28 kilometer.
Perwakilan Ikatan Cendekiawan Karo, Prof Sukarya Sinulingga, menyambut positif rencana pembangunan dan pemetaan jalur alternatif tersebut. Menurutnya, skema tersebut berpotensi mengatasi sedikitnya 3–4 titik kemacetan parah yang selama ini menghambat mobilitas masyarakat serta distribusi logistik dari Karo menuju Medan.
“Kami mengucapkan terimakasih, atas nama masyarakat Karo kami sangat gembira dengan kabar ini. Tentunya kami akan terus mendukung pembangunan ini,” ucap Sukarya Sinulingga. ***rel
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