Bali’s New Shortcut Officially Opened To Ease Tourist Traffic

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Only a few days later than anticipated, the new Tibubeneng-Canggu shortcut has been officially opened.

The first traffic is already flowing through the new shortcut route that is redirecting traffic into the resort of Canggu, through Simpang Padonan.

A proper inauguration ceremony was held to mark the opening of the new road. The shortcut is designed to make it easier for traffic to filter off the highway into the narrower street of Canggu.

Regent of Badung, Giri Prasta, was accompanied by the Chairman of the Badung DPRD Putu Parwata, Regional Secretary Wayan Adi Arnawa, and Badung Police Chief AKBP Teguh Priyo Warsono in cutting the ribbon for the official opening of the Canggu-Tibubeneng shortcut road.

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The road is just 335 meters long, and 8 meters wide but is already making a positive impact on traffic congestion in the area.

The road has also been built with sidewalks for pedestrians and in total the road covers 26 acres of land. The construction of the Canggu-Tibubeneng shortcut has been funded by the 2023 revised APBD budget, costing IDR 6.2 billion for the road project itself and IDR 25 billion for land acquisition.

The road was completed relatively quickly, in just under two months. Original plans had the road set to open on the 28th of December, but two weeks of grace were added to the schedule. 

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Regent Prasta told reporters and attendees “This [road] is one of our programs to reduce traffic jams. We will make sure that after we open this for public use, traffic will run smoothly without getting stuck.”

He added that the creation of the Tibubeneng-Canggu Shortcut is one of the most straightforward and impactful options available to the regency government to tackle traffic congestion in the busiest tourism resorts on the island.

He explained “We are not allowed to build flyovers. Even if, for example, in the future, it is permissible to build flyovers, I think traffic jams will be easily resolved. After this, we will widen the existing road in Batu Belig, Tunon Umalas towards Berawa.”

“Astungkara, we can do that immediately, so that this area, which is a tourist destination, can really reduce traffic jams.”

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Regent Prasta confirmed that talks remain underway with the central and provincial government, as well as external investors, to make progress on the Light Railway Transit and Metro Railway Train (LTR/MTR) system in Badung Regency.

The new Bali Railway Network is a project that has been on the cards for years, but there are high hopes that 2024 will be the year that the ground is broken and the first big construction phases can get underway. 

Regent Prasta told reporters “Tomorrow the Badung Regency team together with the Central Government team will come from Korea regarding the MRT.”

“We have asked for the construction of the MRT, we must consider Bali 1,000 years later, starting from this year, to provide a large-scale underground transportation system.”

Renege Prasta shared his hopes that the first work could get underway within the next few weeks.

He concluded, “Hopefully this can be groundbreaking this January so that traffic jams on the Island of the Gods can be resolved starting from Badung Regency, so that all districts have adequate transportation facilities.”

Although Regent Prasta says that there can be no flyover routes built in the Canggu area, other transportation leaders in Bali and at the central government still want to explore whether underpasses, shortcuts, and perhaps in specific circumstances flyovers could be feasible to solve the resort’s ever-increasing tourism traffic woes. 

For the next few weeks, at least all eyes will be on the new Tibubeneng-Canggu shortcut to discover whether the new traffic flow system keeps traffic moving and significantly impacts congestion from the surrounding highways and village streets.