Get ready for worse delays at several intersections<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Jakarta motorists should prepare themselves for bad traffic
\ncongestion for up to two years because of ongoing construction of
\nsix overpasses and two underpasses at eight locations in the
\ncity.<\/p>\n
Traffic congestion, particularly during morning and evening
\npeak periods, has been getting worse since five projects for
\noverpasses and underpasses started last month, with nearly half
\nthe road width closed for the construction.<\/p>\n
The construction of three other projects, nearly finished, has
\nbeen going on for one to two years and is expected to be
\ncompleted later this year or early next year.<\/p>\n
The five projects, which began in September, are two
\nunderpasses at Lebak Bulus and Ciputat, South Jakarta, and at
\nPramuka, Central Jakarta. The three overpasses are at Pancoran,
\nand Kuningan, South Jakarta, and Jl. Daan Mogot, West Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The three other overpasses, which are nearly completed, are
\nlocated at Penggilingan, East Jakarta; Galur, Central Jakarta and
\nKalibata, South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The first stage of construction of the eight projects will
\ncost more than Rp 170 billion.<\/p>\n
\"Since the project began, we have to spend about an hour at
\nJl. Pramuka, particularly during the morning peak and in the
\nevening. If the traffic is flowing freely, it takes only 10
\nminutes to pass this section of road,\" said Sunarto, a bus driver
\non the route between Rawamangun, East Jakarta, and Lebak Bulus,
\nSouth Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The underpass at Jl. Pramuka is aimed at reducing traffic
\ncongestion on the road due to the busy commuter train traffic on
\nthe line between Bekasi and Kota station, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The first stage of the project is expected to be completed in
\nDecember this year and will be followed by the second stage,
\nexpected to last around six more months.<\/p>\n
On Jl. Pramuka, serious traffic congestion has been
\nexperienced by motorists from Senen in the direction of Utan Kayu
\nor Rawamangun, Central Jakarta, as more than half of the road
\nwidth has been closed.<\/p>\n
\"Before the construction traffic there was already bad. Since
\nthe project began, traffic jams have been getting worse. I see it
\nalmost every evening when I have to travel to my house in Utan
\nKayu,\" said Andi, who regularly travels by bus from his house in
\nUtan Kayu, Central Jakarta, to Jl. Sudirman, also in Central
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
Traffic congestion has become more acute at Lebak Bulus,
\nCiputat. The underpass is expected to reduce congestion between
\ntraffic flows on the Lebak Bulus to Ciputat and Pondok Cabe to
\nKebayoran Lama routes in South Jakarta once it is completed. The
\nLebak Bulus area had long been known for its bad traffic jams
\nbefore the project.<\/p>\n
The first stage of the project in Lebak Bulus is scheduled to
\nbe completed in December. However, Yanto, a worker of PT Thomas
\nPondasi, a subcontractor of PT Adhi Karya, said the project might
\ntake longer to complete than originally planned as local
\nresidents had objected to nighttime working.<\/p>\n
This was confirmed by Fahruddin, a local resident, who said
\nthat local people had told the underpass developer that
\nconstruction work should be halted before 6 p.m. as the piling
\nwas very obtrusive.<\/p>\n
\"You can hear for yourself how much the noise would trouble
\nlocal people here,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Other serious traffic jams are on Jl. Gatot Subroto, where two
\noverpasses are being constructed at Pancoran and Kuningan
\nintersections, particularly in the evening peak period, in the
\nSemanggi to Cawang direction.<\/p>\n
First Brig. Tatang S., a police officer on duty at the
\nKuningan intersection, said that there was no way of avoiding
\ncongestion in the areas during the construction phases as there
\nwas no reasonable alternative route.<\/p>\n
\"But I think the public appreciates that the traffic will be
\nmore fluent once the overpasses are completed,\" Tatang told The
\nJakarta Post.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/get-ready-for-worse-delays-at-several-intersections-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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