Important Bali Metro And Highway Development Project Updates Issued To Holidaymakers

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Traffic is the last thing tourists want to be thinking about when they head on vacation. In fact, jetting off on holiday is the annual escape from commuter traffic and rush-hour congestion for millions of people.

Still, in Bali, the traffic is an inescapable reality. In 2026, however, local leaders want to see major improvements.

Bali’s traffic congestion has even made international headlines. With the Canggu shortcut traffic gridlock long the butt of jokes, most people on the island approach the issue with a grounded acceptance of the present reality and a spoonful of good humour. However lightly the issue may be handled on a day-to-day basis, everyone agrees that urgent change is needed.

The traffic issues are affecting life on the island in unacceptable ways. Local residents are often stuck in traffic for over an hour on their daily journeys to and from work, and with many drivers riding motorcycles, there are growing concerns about public health due to pollution. 

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There is hope that 2026 is the year that serious progress is made on keeping Bali’s traffic network moving. For tourists traveling to the island for the first time, and even for those returning to the province, this year’s vacations will certainly encounter major road works and newly established traffic flow systems.

Things could get worse before they get better as massive infrastructure developments, including the Bali Metro Project, the Jimbaran Underpass, and the Singaraja-Mengwitani Shortcut, all get underway, as well as continued work on the Mengwi-Gilimanuk Highway, and even scope for the North-South Toll Road to start too. 

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Speaking to reporters, Bali’s Governor Wayan Koster confirmed that work on the Jimbaran Underpass Road will begin in 2026, pending the green light from the Central Government.

The official groundbreaking ceremony has already taken place, in accordance with Balinese customary practices, and Governor Koster shared, “We have reported and requested the Minister of Public Works and Public Housing to address traffic congestion in Bali by building the Jimbaran Underpass. He has approved it.”

He revealed that construction of the underpass is projected to cost around IDR 350 billion. The Badung Regency Government is currently working on the Detailed Engineering Design (DED) and Feasibility Study (FS), and is being directly monitored by Governor Koster. He noted, “The DED and FS will be completed by the end of February at the latest.”

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The Jimbaran Underpass is set to help alleviate the traffic bottleneck that forms around the entry to the Bukit Peninsula, affecting the traffic flow around the popular resorts of Kuta, Jimbaran, Uluwatu, and traffic heading towards the eastern side of the Bukit Peninsula from central Denpasar, like Sanur and Nusa Dua.

Governor Koster himself described the traffic congestion in these areas as ‘constant.’ 

At this time of year, in the height of the rainy season, localised flooding adds to the already difficult conditions on the road.

South Kuta and the Ngurah Rai Bypass Road, from Jimbaran to Nusa Dua, have been one of the worst-affected areas by heavy rain in the last week.

The Bali Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency has issued weather warnings that are in place until 20th January, and traffic officers are working doubly hard to keep local and tourist traffic moving. 

Speaking to reporters late last week, South Kuta District Head, Ketut Gede Arta, explained, “The rain discharge is very high. Besides the possibility that the drainage is not functioning optimally, its capacity is indeed unable to accommodate that much rainwater. Because the rain is evenly distributed, flooding also occurred in almost all areas.”

He added, “Normalization has been carried out in several river channels and drainage channels in South Kuta in stages. Hopefully, this can cover residential areas, so that during the heavy rainy season, the potential for flooding can continue to decrease. Because mitigation measures are already underway.”

Optimistic timelines for the Jimbaran Underpass Project suggest that once the planning documents are complete, the tender preparation process will begin, which is currently targeted for early April.

The Governor has shared his hopes that the tender process will be completed by mid-2026, at the latest, by August or September 2026, allowing construction of the Jimbaran Underpass to begin immediately. In the meantime, tourists must allow above and beyond sufficient time to travel through the area, and where possible, avoid traveling during morning and evening rush hour.