Jalan Benyamin Sueb: Kemayoran Runway, Iconic Gate and Betawi Legend

Jalan Benyamin Sueb is the wide main corridor of Kemayoran in Central Jakarta, and it carries two Jakarta stories at once: the former Kemayoran Airport runway that shaped the road, and the name of Betawi artist Benyamin Sueb, who was born in the area. Riders pass along it on the way to the JIExpo Kemayoran exhibition grounds, especially during the Jakarta Fair.

What makes the road easy to remember is the line of white curved steel pillars standing above it: the Kemayoran Gate. Together with the road's unusual width and the large trees on its shoulders, those pillars are the clearest everyday traces of the district's aviation past.

Key facts at a glance

• The street is named after Benyamin Sueb, a Betawi artist who was born and raised in Kemayoran.
• It was previously known as Jalan Landas Pacu Timur (East Runway Road), a name tied to Kemayoran Airport, Indonesia's first civil airport.
• The white arches above the road are the Kemayoran Gate, a row of 34 curved steel pillars built as a reminder of the old runway.
• The wide road and its large trees are leftovers of the area's aviation past.
• The corridor sits close to JIExpo Kemayoran, the venue of the Jakarta Fair (Pekan Raya Jakarta, PRJ).

The Kemayoran Gate above the road

The most striking feature of the corridor is overhead. Tall pillars curve towards the sky on both sides of the carriageway, forming an arch that riders pass under on their way through Kemayoran. This is the Pintu Gerbang Utama Kemayoran, usually shortened to the Kemayoran Gate.

34 curved pillars of white steel

The structure is made up of 34 curved steel pillars, painted white and set in a line along the fast and slow lanes. From a moving vehicle the arches read as one long structure rather than separate columns, which is what makes the gate so recognisable in photographs.

The "taking off" idea

The shape is deliberate. The pillars lean and curve aerodynamically towards the sky, a gesture meant to suggest an aircraft wing and the spirit of flight, a theme often described as mengangkasa, or taking to the air. The gate was designed by the architect Ridwan Kamil.

A marker of the old runway

The gate is more than decoration. It stands as a visual monument to the fact that this wide road was built over the runway of Kemayoran Airport, Indonesia's first civil airport, which served the city from the 1940s until it closed in 1985.

From Kemayoran Airport to Jalan Benyamin Sueb

Who was Benyamin Sueb?

The street takes its name from Benyamin Sueb, a Betawi artist widely known through music, films and performances that carried the character of Betawi society. A short profile is available on Wikipedia.

Using his name for a street has a strong connection with Kemayoran. Benyamin was born and raised in the area, so this is not simply the name of a famous figure attached to a stretch of road. For Jakarta, it is also part of an effort to preserve the memory of one of the most important figures in Betawi culture.

From the old runway to a city road

The street was previously known as Jalan Landas Pacu Timur (East Runway Road). That name relates to Kemayoran's history as the site of Kemayoran Airport, Indonesia's first civil airport.

This aviation legacy explains why Kemayoran has several wide roads and an urban layout that differs from much of old Jakarta. After the airport closed in 1985, the former aviation area grew into offices, housing and exhibition grounds, while parts of its corridors kept their original scale.

A wide corridor in the middle of Kemayoran

One of the first things you notice while driving along Jalan Benyamin Sueb is how wide it is. In some sections, large trees still dominate the sides of the road.

The view contrasts with Kemayoran's growth into a district filled with towers, apartments, commercial facilities and an exhibition ground: in a single drive you can see the old and the new side of the area side by side.

Direction and the link to JIExpo Kemayoran

From this road, the journey also connects to several important parts of Kemayoran and North Jakarta. JIExpo Kemayoran, known as the venue of the Jakarta Fair or Pekan Raya Jakarta (PRJ), is not far from this corridor.

As a result, the atmosphere on Jalan Benyamin Sueb can change noticeably. On ordinary days, traffic can feel like a normal urban corridor. When there is an exhibition or a major event in Kemayoran, the number of vehicles in the surrounding area can rise.

What you can find along the corridor

The road is not only a way through Kemayoran; it is also the address of some of the district's best-known places.

Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo)

JIExpo Kemayoran is the city's large exhibition and convention ground, home to yearly fixtures such as the Jakarta Fair (PRJ) and the Java Jazz Festival, as well as concerts by international artists. On event days it drives much of the traffic in the area.

Hutan Kota Kemayoran (Utan Kemayoran)

Kemayoran also has an urban forest: a green space with an artificial lake, a canopy bridge and jogging paths that offer a short break from the traffic in the middle of the city.

Weekday mornings and weekend evenings

On weekday mornings and in the late afternoon, especially at weekends, the pedestrian sides and the slow lane fill with people jogging, cycling and looking for street food, and the road quietly turns into a public space.

A street that holds two stories of Jakarta

There is something interesting about looking at Jalan Benyamin Sueb as more than a transport route: the street seems to bring together two parts of Jakarta's history. The first is Kemayoran's history as a centre of Indonesian aviation. The second is the history of Betawi culture through the name Benyamin Sueb.

Kemayoran Airport stopped operating long ago, but the way the district developed after its closure still shapes Kemayoran today. Meanwhile, the name Benyamin Sueb keeps a Betawi identity present in a district that grows more modern.

Riders who simply pass through may not think much about that story. Yet when you travel this road more slowly, Jalan Benyamin Sueb becomes an example of how street names in Jakarta can hold pieces of the city's history.

Tips for riding and photographing the corridor

• Best time: early morning, around 06.30 to 08.30, or the golden hour before sunset, when the light on the white steel arches creates the strongest shadows and contrast.
• Stay safe: to photograph the gate, use the wide pedestrian walkway and avoid stopping suddenly on the main carriageway.
• Getting there: the area is reachable from the Pelabuhan and Dalkot toll roads (Kemayoran or PRJ exit), by TransJakarta corridor 12, and by the KRL Commuter Line via Rajawali or Kemayoran station.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Jalan Benyamin Sueb?

It runs through Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, and is one of the key corridors in the area.

What is the white arch structure above the road?

It is the Kemayoran Gate (Pintu Gerbang Utama Kemayoran), a row of 34 curved white steel pillars built to mark the area's aviation history.

What was the street called before?

It was known as Jalan Landas Pacu Timur (East Runway Road), a name connected to Kemayoran Airport.

Why is the road so wide?

Because Kemayoran was the site of Kemayoran Airport, Indonesia's first civil airport, which gave the area a layout that differs from much of old Jakarta.

How is it connected to the Jakarta Fair?

The corridor is close to JIExpo Kemayoran, the venue of the Jakarta Fair (Pekan Raya Jakarta, PRJ).

Jalan Benyamin Sueb is more than a road to Kemayoran. Behind the traffic, the white arches and the rows of trees there are stories about a former airport, the growth of Jakarta, and a Betawi artist whose name lives on in the city where he was born.

More route guides and travel articles are available on the Rider Street View blog, and a drive-through video of Jalan Benyamin Sueb is available on YouTube.