Central Java road project blamed for traffic accidents
Central Java road project blamed for traffic accidents
Bambang Tiong, The Jakarta Post, Klaten
KLATEN, Central Java (JP): Many have blamed slow completion of
a road improvement project along the 17-kilometer Prambanan-
Tegalgondo road for the increased number of traffic accidents
there.
A total of 37 people were killed and 369 others injured in 264
traffic accidents along the highway from March 2000 to September
2001, according to data from the traffic unit at Klaten police
station.
Of the non-fatal cases, 177 were seriously injured.
The figure has increased from around 20 fatalities and 140
injured in 200 traffic accidents from September 1998 to March
2000.
The project is part of ongoing repair work to the Yogyakarta-
Surakarta highway, which is being carried out by state-owned
construction company PT Bina Marga.
Teddy Hamdany, a local executive of PT Bina Marga, rejected
the sharp criticism, saying that the accidents had nothing to do
with the ongoing project.
"It's not true. We've had many weaknesses (in carrying out the
project) but they are not that extreme," he said here recently.
Teddy was referring to the extended timetable for the Rp 49.2
billion project, originally slated to be completed last month.
"In fact, as of September 2001, only 65 percent of the project
was complete. That's why the project has been rescheduled and it
is expected to finish next April," he said.
Teddy conceded that many factors had forced PT Bina Marga to
extend the project to April 2002. He cited that traffic
congestion along the highway was the main factor hindering PT
Bina Marga in completing the project. "Besides, PT Bina Marga
also had to redesign numerous bridges and appropriate 20,000
square meters of land for the road and bridge enhancement
project, and all this took a considerable time," he said.
Consequently, he said, a bumpy road surface, potholes here and
there, and piles of road construction material have been common
along the highway for the last 18 months.
He denied that traffic jams, slow-moving traffic and one-way
traffic along many parts of the highway had caused the high
number of traffic accidents since the project had started.
Teddy insisted that most accidents occurred mainly due to
other factors, such as reckless driving and heavy traffic.
The local highway transportation and traffic office (DLLAJR)
was also of the opinion that the increased number of traffic
accidents had nothing to do with the project.
In 1998, for example, the office noted, only around 33,000
vehicles used the road per day. "Later, the number rose to 39,900
in 2000 and around 43,890 this year," said a DLLAJR employee, who
asked to remain anonymous.
"What I suggest is that the increased number of vehicles has
caused the increase in traffic accidents along the highway,"
Teddy said.
Chief of the traffic unit of Klaten Police First Insp. Rakhmat
Hakim contended, however, that the increased number of traffic
accidents had a lot to do with the project.
"While it's true that motorists have not directly hit piles of
construction materials on the road, they have nonetheless been
involved in accidents caused by dangerous driving due to the
absence of adequate warning signs along those parts of the road
under repair," he said.
Both Teddy and Rahmat, however, agreed that something had to
be done to reduce the number of traffic accidents along the road.
Otherwise, more accidents would occur in the very near future,
especially before and after Idul Fitri and Christmas.
Millions of motorists are expected to use the Yogyakarta-
Surakarta highway to travel to other cities and villages in the
province and toward East Java.