ACEH BESAR — The Banda Aceh–Medan National Road running through Lembah Seulawah District, Aceh Besar Regency, has reportedly experienced a significant decline in vehicular traffic following the opening of the toll road, sparking fears of economic paralysis for local residents.
The interprovincial route, long relied upon as a primary transit hub and economic lifeline for the community, has suddenly turned quiet. The rapid decline in traffic volume has quickly transformed the daily landscape of this vital artery connecting the heart of Aceh Province with North Sumatra.
Transportation Lifeline Shrinks Drastically
Prior to the expressway's operation, the national highway through Lembah Seulawah was a bustling transportation lifeline. Active 24 hours a day, the corridor was constantly packed with intercity-interprovincial (AKAP) buses, public minibuses, and freight trucks transporting cargo and commodities.
However, the shift of four-wheeled and commercial vehicles to the toll road has slashed traffic along this arterial route. The steady flow of public transit fleets and heavy commercial haulers that once frequented the area has plummeted, leaving behind a stretch of asphalt far quieter than in previous years.
Saree and Lamtamot MSME Hubs Hit Hard
The desertion of the arterial route has dealt an immediate blow to the economic livelihoods of residents in two key trading centers: Kemukiman Saree and Kemukiman Gunung Biram in Lamtamot. For decades, both strategic areas within Lembah Seulawah District thrived as micro-business epicenters and popular rest stops for travelers traversing Sumatra's northern-eastern corridor.
In Saree, rows of culinary stalls and produce vendors selling local goods—such as sweet potatoes, fresh vegetables, chips, and fermented cassava (tape) products—which rely heavily on bus passengers and road travelers, are now grappling with a steep drop in revenue. A similar downturn is felt in Lamtamot (Kemukiman Gunung Biram), where food stalls and other rest-stop services have lost their core customer base, who now bypass Seulawah's traditional overland route via the toll road.
Threat of Regional Economic Paralysis
The livelihood of Lembah Seulawah residents remains heavily tethered to the volume of transit traffic on the national highway. With fewer vehicles pulling over, local supply chains and the cash flow among small traders are at risk of coming to a grinding halt.
This development has sparked grave concerns over the potential collapse of the commercial ecosystem along the Saree and Lamtamot corridor. Without viable mitigation strategies, market adjustments, or initiatives to integrate toll road operations with local commercial centers, this iconic Aceh Besar rest-stop destination risks losing its primary source of income over the long term.
Reference source: Harianrakyataceh – Denyut Ekonomi Pedagang Saree dan Lamtamot Terancam Lumpuh
Read this article in Bahasa Indonesia.
