Karawaci faces growing traffic problem<\/p>\n
TANGERANG, West Java (JP): Motorists have been complaining
\nabout growing traffic congestion around the massive Lippo
\nKarawaci shopping center as more stores, restaurants and other
\nbusinesses open there.<\/p>\n
The traffic flow reached a peak on Dec. 3 when about 300,000
\nvisitors went to the super mall for shopping on the Sunday the
\nMega M department store opened at the end of November.<\/p>\n
Motorists said that now traffic jams happen almost everyday,
\nespecially on Saturdays and Sundays.<\/p>\n
At least 25,000 vehicles from Jakarta enter the super mall
\ncomplex each Saturday and Sunday to enjoy the new shopping and
\nentertainment center in the complex, located some 20 kilometers
\nwest of Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Around 67,000 vehicles from Jakarta passed the Karawaci entry
\ntoll gate on Sunday last week, James T. Ready, deputy chairman of
\nthe Lippo Group, said.<\/p>\n
The unexpected response caused a long line of cars stretching
\nfrom the outside part of the Karawaci toll gate to most of the
\nstreets in the Lippo Karawaci area and its surroundings.<\/p>\n
The traffic woes forced the Lippo Karawaci management to field
\n450 people, 150 of whom are managers, to handle the traffic last
\nSaturday.<\/p>\n
\"The Lippo management should have foreseen the increasing
\nnumber of cars heading for this area, especially on weekends,\"
\nsaid Pratikno, a state employee, who lives in Tangerang.<\/p>\n
Another driver said that before the complex was built,
\nfeasibility studies on the environment, including traffic
\nmanagement, should have been made.<\/p>\n
\"The Lippo management should have been informed about the
\npossible number of vehicles using the roads surrounding the
\ncomplex every day. The management has targeted residents in
\nKarawaci and certain areas of Jakarta as shoppers. However, the
\nmanagement does not seem to even a have rough estimate of the
\npopulation in the target areas,\" said another visitor, who spent
\nhours to reach Mega M on a Sunday.<\/p>\n
\"Just imagine what will happen, when all of the projects in
\nthe 210,000-square-meter complex are completed in the future,
\nwhen the number of vehicles going in and out will be much
\nhigher,\" said an area resident, who refused to be named.<\/p>\n
James Riyadi said he could understand why people blamed Lippo
\nKarawaci for causing traffic congestion, because most people do
\nnot know the Lippo Karawaci plan.<\/p>\n
He said his office had anticipated the \"explosion\" in the
\nnumber of vehicles entering the complex once the entertainment
\ncenters and the shops opened.<\/p>\n
\"We plan to construct a number of underpasses, flyovers and
\nnew toll gates to anticipate the completion of all projects in
\nthis Lippo Karawaci area,\" James told The Jakarta Post here on
\nSaturday.<\/p>\n
James and his staff guaranteed that there would be no more
\ntraffic congestion in the Lippo Karawaci area once all of the
\nroad infrastructure was completed.<\/p>\n
\"We have designed our existing roads to be able to facilitate
\nat least 80,000 cars per day,\" James said.<\/p>\n
The Lippo Supermal, developed with an investment of Rp 250
\nbillion (US$120 million) by Lippo Group together with Rodamco
\nfrom the Netherlands and the government of Singapore, was
\ndedicated by West Java Governor R. Nuriana on Saturday afternoon.
\n(bsr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/karawaci-faces-growing-traffic-problem-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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