Paved Paradise and Put Up a Parking Lot

(1/15/2012)

The construction of the suspended toll way connecting Benoa and Nusa Dua is expected to create new traffic burdens in the area immediately surrounding the community of Tanjung Benoa. As a result, according to The Bali Post, local residents in that part of South Bali are urging the government to build a ring road in anticipation of the new toll way construction.
A South Kuta community leader and member of Commission B of theBadung House of Representatives, I Nyoman Karyana, said on Tuesday, January 10, 2012, the traffic conditions on Jalan Pratama are already critically over-loaded. Moreover, during holiday periods, traffic congestion on that road is inescapable, creating traffic jams he estimates at 3 hours over the relative short stretch of narrow road in and out of Tanjung Benoa. 

He went on to explain that Jalan Pratama is the access road to a number of hotels and tourist-related industries. The road is extremely narrow and almost impassable when two large busses meet. Local citizens and tourists alike are complaining of the heavy traffic congestion on the road.

A similar note was sounded by the traditional village head (Bendesa) of Bualu, I Made Retha. He said that the “fact of the matter” is that the road is congested and frequently subject to gridlock. “For instance,” he said, “during New Year’s celebrations or when there are public celebrations (there is congestion). Because the roads are packed, all community activities and local economic activities are impeded. What’s more, imagine the situation if the toll way is realized, I hope the suggestion to build feeder roads is also realized.”

Karyana said the local citizens are worried what effect of the suspended new toll way will have on their community if anticipatory steps are not urgently taken beginning now. The Benoa-Nusa Dua toll way will certainly bring more traffic to Nusa Dua, especially to Jalan Pratama. Because of this, Karana is urging the government to urgently undertake a Detailed Engineering Design (DED) for feeder roads to prepare for the coming growth in traffic. He hopes that the DED can be allocated funds in the 2012 budget.

The need for more roads in the Tanjung Benoa region is very pressing, according to Karyana. He contends that the enlargement of Jalan Pratama - the main thoroughfare, is no longer possible due to the existing development. “My suggestion is for Jalan Pratama to be turned into a one-way street to be connected with a ring road built in or near the mangrove."

Source: BaliDiscovery.com