Barelang Bridge () is a chain of 6 bridges of various types that connected the Barelang island group of Riau Archipelago built in 1997. The smaller islands of Tonton, Nipah, and Setotok (considered parts of the Batam island group) connect Batam and Rempang, while a further small island - Galang Baru - is connected at the southern end of the chain. The entire Barelang region covers .

Some locals call the bridge Jembatan Habibie after Jusuf Habibie, who oversaw the project in construction, aiming to transform the Rempang and Galang islands into industrial sites (resembling present-day Batam).

Barelang Bridge

The concept design for the 6 bridges were proposed by Bruce Ramsay of VSL. Habibie had requested that the designs should be based on a variation of different structural bridge types, in order to introduce & develop new bridge design & building technologies for the Indonesian market. Over time the bridge sites have grown more into a tourist attraction rather than just a transportation route.

Barelang Bridge

The full stretch of all 6 bridges total to . Travelling from the first bridge to the last is about and takes about 50 minutes. Construction of the bridges started in 1992 and took names from fifteenth to eighteenth-century rulers of the Riau Sultanate.

Barelang Bridge

Bridges

Tengku Fisabilillah Bridge, connects Batam and Tonton island. It stretches for and is the most popular bridge of all, being a cable-stayed bridge with two pylons and main span . Nara Singa Bridge, a cantilever bridge with total length and main span , connects Tonton island with Nipah island. Ali Haji Bridge, a girder bridge with total length and main span , connects Nipah island with Setoko island. Sultan Zainal Abidin Bridge, a cantilever bridge with total length and main span , connects Setoko island with Rempang island. Tuanku Tambusai Bridge, an arch bridge with total length and main span , connects Rempang island with Galang island The road deck was constructed using the incremental launching method, whereby the deck was constructed on the bridge approach and then launched horizontally by the use of hydraulic jacks with special sliding bearings out over the previously constructed arch. Raja Kecik Bridge, the smallest bridge with a total length of , connects Galang island with Galang Baru island.

References

External links

Your best Batam Island Info guide

Bridges completed in 1997

Bridges in Indonesia

Cable-stayed bridges in Indonesia

Arch bridges

Cantilever bridges

Road bridges

Concrete bridges

Buildings and structures in the Riau Islands

Transport in the Riau Islands