Motorists often face traffic jams in the tourist area of Puncak in Bogor, West Java – the very thing they are trying to escape.
nown for its cool breezes, lush tea plantations and affordable villas for rent, the Puncak area in Bogor regency, West Java, is among the top weekend destinations for Jakartans. The area, however, is also notorious for its traffic congestion.
Kiki Amelia, 27, a Jakarta housewife, recalled how her family was stuck in traffic during a recent short trip to Puncak. Since cars were easily stuck in traffic, her family made the trip by motorcycle. But this did not spare them from the traffic.
“When we set out, the one-way traffic system was in place so there was no congestion. But when we wanted to head home, the traffic jam was very bad, even motorbikes could not [navigate] smoothly,” Kiki said on Friday.
The one-way traffic management system has been applied to Puncak's main thoroughfare since 1987.
She said trips to Puncak took her family about two hours from their residence in Pasar Rebo, East Jakarta. However, the return trip took more than four hours, thanks to the congestion.
Many Jakartans travel to Puncak through Cianjur, a gateway from Bandung, and via Jl. Raya Puncak in Bogor regency's Ciawi district. Some sections of the winding roads in Cianjur are narrow.
In order to mitigate the notorious congestion, the Public Works and Housing (PUPR) Ministry is accelerating infrastructure projects while developing the Puncak 2 and Puncak 3 alternative routes to the area.
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