New roads will ease traffic woes, Fauzi says

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

In an effort to reduce traffic congestion in the capital, the city administration, through its company PT Jakarta Propertindo, plans to focus on two toll road projects in the near future.

"The projects will help ease traffic congestion. Therefore, I want Jakarta Propertindo (Jakpro) to prioritize the projects so we can tell the public in the next few years there will be new toll roads," Governor Fauzi Bowo said Monday.

He said once a new 12-kilometer harbor toll road was completed, traffic to the harbor would be channeled straight from Cakung to the new elevated toll road, reducing traffic congestion.

Fauzi said Jakpro would also work on a section of the city's outer ring road called West Two, which will connect Kapuk in North Jakarta with South Jakarta via the Bintaro-Fatmawati toll road.

He said that aside from West Two, the outer ring road would have another section added called West One, which would pass through Meruya in West Jakarta.

"When these two sections are completed, traffic from the western part of Jakarta won't have to pass through the Jakarta inner toll road. If people want to go to Tanjung Priok harbor in North Jakarta, they will be able to take West One. If they want to go to Bekasi, they will be able to take West Two to Pondok Indah - Jati Asih - Bekasi," he said.

Fauzi did not reveal when the construction of the new projects would start as the administration and Jakpro were still discussing financing details.

"The harbor toll road project will require Rp 350 billion (approximately US$37,77 million) for land acquisition purposes, but we only have access to Rp 150 billion at this stage. The West Two project will cost around Rp 250 billion. We are still negotiating this issue," he said.

Jakpro president director IGK Suena said his company would discuss the capital structure for the West Two project with its partner, PT Jasa Marga.

"We will be able to acquire some of the land," Suena said, adding that acquired land would become Jakpro's equity in the joint company.

He said that under the open toll road system, the company expected to break even in seven to eight years.

Fauzi said the administration decided to become involved in the projects because it wanted to take part in their management.

"If there are any problems, we will be able to fix them. If there are any profits, we will be able to enjoy them," he said. (tif)