Tangerang commuters suffer atypical traffic<\/p>\n
Multa Fidrus, Tangerang<\/p>\n
A mother tried her best to calm her one-year-old girl, but the
\nbaby would not stop crying.<\/p>\n
Drenched with sweat, Nani, 23, and her baby girl, were
\npassengers of a public minivan trapped in heavy traffic on Jl.
\nThamrin in Kebon Nanas, Tangerang, last Saturday.<\/p>\n
\"She cries because she cannot stand the heat and the exhaust
\nfrom diesel fuel,\" said the resident of Serpong while apologizing
\nto other passengers for her daughter's cries.<\/p>\n
Tangerang commuters are witness to how the municipal
\nadministration has turned a blind eye on the chaotic traffic
\nproblems at several points, including Kebon Nanas, which is the
\nmain access to the toll road to Jakarta and Merak, Banten
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post saw that drivers of public minivans, city and
\nintercity buses stopped in the Kebon Nanas area and took as much
\ntime as they liked to load up passengers. Meanwhile, a long queue
\nof other vehicles behind them honked incessantly.<\/p>\n
Motorcycle taxis, or ojek, and pedicabs also took up part of
\nthe road, along with the ever-present street vendors.<\/p>\n
But the condition has worsened because the Tangerang
\nadministration has just begun constructing the long-awaited Rp
\n463 million (US$51,444) pedestrian bridge.<\/p>\n
That Saturday, the Post observed five policemen posted at
\nKebon Nanas to direct traffic playing chess and chatting.<\/p>\n
Many residents blame the administration for its failure to
\ncope with the traffic problems and further accused officials of
\npaying no attention to their need for convenient roads across the
\nmunicipality.<\/p>\n
\"We pay road taxes every year, but it's very difficult to find
\nand enjoy a good road -- without congestion or potholes. It takes
\nme 30 minutes just to pass through Kebon Nanas, but which only
\ntakes a motorist five minutes at night. With such circumstances,
\nwhat have we gotten in return as taxpayers?\" Dhonny, a resident
\nof the Kebon Nanas state secretariat housing complex, told the
\nPost.<\/p>\n
Dhonny further said that traffic jams were not the only
\nproblems -- there are no sidewalks or zebra crossings for
\npedestrians.<\/p>\n
Tangerang is a buffer town of the capital city, but many
\nobservers deem that its administration has failed to anticipate
\nthe number of private vehicles entering and leaving the town
\ndaily.<\/p>\n
The usually congested points, besides Kebon Nanas, are the
\nCileduk intersection, Pasar Bengkok, Rawa Bokor in Batu Ceper
\ndistrict, the Islamic intersection in Karawaci, the Serpong toll
\nexit, the Sewan intersection in Neglasari district, Jatake in
\nJatiuwung and Cikokol Market on Jl. Sudirman.<\/p>\n
Syamsul Muarif of non-governmental organization Concern for
\nthe Nation said the group had asked Tangerang Mayor Wahidin Halim
\nto reroute public transportation and to monitor the vehicles'
\nroadworthiness.<\/p>\n
\"We hope soon to have a satisfactory response, because the
\nplanned construction of the Jakarta-Merak and Bekasi-Merak
\nhighways will make it easier to reach Tangerang and will make it
\neven more crowded,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tangerang-commuters-suffer-atypical-traffic-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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