TULUNGAGUNG – The long-awaited Gondang 1 Bridge Closure will begin on Tuesday as authorities move forward with a full bridge replacement project on the national road connecting Tulungagung and Trenggalek.

Officials will clear and secure the bridge area starting at 2 p.m. local time. The closure marks the start of a major infrastructure project that will replace the bridge structure and improve safety along one of the region’s busiest transport corridors.

Traffic police confirmed that all preparations have reached the final stage. Earlier delays forced authorities to revise the schedule, but the project can now proceed after heavy equipment arrived at the site.

“According to the latest plan, the closure of Gondang 1 Bridge will begin on Tuesday at 2 p.m.,” said First Inspector Ahmad Zainudin, Traffic Operations Officer of the Tulungagung Police Traffic Unit.

Police officers will begin redirecting vehicles at exactly 2 p.m. The diversion will allow workers to secure the construction zone before replacement work starts.

Authorities will apply the closure to all vehicles. Motorcycles, passenger cars, buses, and heavy trucks must use alternative routes that local officials have already announced to the public.

“All vehicles, including two-wheelers, private cars, and large trucks, will follow the designated diversion routes,” Zainudin said.

Before 2 p.m., motorists can still cross the bridge as usual. However, officers will close access once they confirm that no vehicles remain inside the work zone.

Officials plan to place personnel at several diversion points to manage traffic and reduce congestion. They expect heavier traffic on alternative roads during the first days of the closure.

Police have urged drivers to adjust their travel schedules and follow all traffic instructions. Authorities also asked motorists not to approach the closure point after the sterilization process begins.

“We urge road users to obey the traffic diversions and use the alternative routes provided so traffic can continue to move smoothly,” Zainudin said.

The Tulungagung administration and local police have prepared several alternative routes for traffic traveling between Tulungagung and Trenggalek. Officials hope those routes will minimize disruption during construction.

The bridge replacement project will require an extended construction period. Authorities expect the full closure to remain in effect until December 11, 2026.

The project had faced two previous delays. Officials first postponed the closure because of the Eid al-Adha holiday period. A later delay occurred when heavy construction equipment arrived behind schedule.

With construction now set to begin, authorities expect the new bridge structure to improve transportation safety and support smoother regional connectivity once work reaches completion.