Many roads damaged during in wet season

Many roads damaged during in wet season

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The head of the Jakarta Public Works Agency, Fodly Misbach,
estimates that at least 5 percent of the city's roads have been
damaged during this rainy season, and asks drivers to remain
patient as the potholes worsen already bad traffic.

"Yes, we have received reports from our staff members in the
field that some sections of road have been damaged by the rain,"
Fodly said on Saturday.

He said the agency would be unable to begin patching up the
roads until the end of the wet season, which the Meteorology and
Geophysics Agency says could be in the middle of March. The
meteorology agency is also warning of more possible flooding.

"We need sunny days to get the best results for the repairs,"
Fodly said.

Jakarta has over 7,576 kilometers of road, many kilometers of
which were underwater for days when floods hit much of the city
on Feb. 19 and Feb. 20, forcing thousands of residents to leave
their homes for temporary shelters. The flooding also claimed
three lives.

Many transportation experts and urban activists say corruption
in the city administration has resulted in poorly constructed
roads that too easily crumble when it rains or under heavy
traffic.

Jakartans also frequently complain of stalled roadwork, which
sometimes takes months to complete, only making traffic worse.

The Jakarta Post observed that a damaged section of road on
Jl. Jatinegara Barat I in East Jakarta, for instance, was getting
worse, with potholes growing deeper and wider and loose gravel
covering the road's surface.

Similar damage was spotted on Jl. Otto Iskandardinata in East
Jakarta, Jl. Raya Kebayoran Lama in South Jakarta and Jl. Pos
Pengumben in West Jakarta.