War is over; finally, the government decided to blocked cars from passing the infamous Canggu shortcut. Despite the seriousness of Bali’s traffic problems, it is encouraging to see that authorities on the island are trying to find a quick solution.
The local authorities in Canggu have taken a tiny but effective strategy to reduce traffic on one of the main tourist shortcuts, as the authorities in Bali announce extensive road renovation work.
There has been an extraordinary surge in tourism growth in Canggu, Bali. The neighbourhood’s roadways still need to be renovated to meet demand as places of residence, beach clubs, and hotels have appeared left, right, and centre.
Due to increasing traffic congestion over the past few years, locals and tourists have been forced to use twisting farm roads as shortcuts.
These shortcuts have now developed into unofficial routes linking towns like Umalas and Berawa, but they are not without issues.
There have been several traffic accidents, some unfortunate cases, and even tourist fatalities that were happened on the well-known Canggu shortcut. The congested roads that connect Canggu’s renowned beach resort were never intended to handle the number of cars or motorcycles that currently use it.
Local authorities have built a massive concrete barrier to block cars from using the Umalas-Berawa shortcut, formerly known as Gang Batu Sari, because the residents are tired of dealing with traffic jams. Authorities believe that this policy will significantly help to keep traffic moving.
Wayan Suryant, the Head of the Tegal Gundul Neighbourhood, explained why the community has taken matters into its own hands: “We have installed a concrete clock in front of the road bridge. As a result, only motorcycles that are able to pass.”
View this post on Instagram
The new concrete bollard was installed by construction crews overnight, making it safer for motorbikes to travel along the shortcut without avoiding gridlocked traffic.
It will also be applicable for cars, which are now required to stay on the main roads that will accommodate their size instead of crumpling on a small shortcut.
Officials are addressing the pressing need to upgrade the infrastructure, such as roads, to sustain rising tourism around the area, not just in Canggu.
Interested in this topic? Check out our other articles from Social Expat:
