Around 15 personnel from various agencies are widening Jalan Raya Ciracas in Kelapa Dua Wetan, East Jakarta, as an effort to ease recurring traffic congestion at two nearby intersections. The project involves removing part of the sidewalk to widen the road by about 25 meters in length and 1.5 meters in width. Ciracas Subdistrict Head Panangaran Ritonga said the work is intended to provide additional space for vehicles while allowing pedestrians to cross above a covered drainage channel. The plan had been discussed for around three months as authorities looked for a solution to persistent congestion in the area.
Panangaran explained that the distance between the intersection of Jalan Penganten Ali and Jalan Masjid At Taufik is only around 30 meters, leaving limited space for vehicles passing through the area. The narrow access reportedly causes vehicles to compete for space, contributing to congestion at both intersections. A second road-widening effort will also be carried out near the Jalan Masjid At Taufik intersection, where vehicles entering Jalan Raya Ciracas frequently face heavy traffic. The widening work is targeted for completion within two to three weeks, with authorities hoping it will reduce vehicle queues.
The project also faces an infrastructure issue involving 16 utility cable poles currently standing on the sidewalk. Panangaran said the poles need to be relocated so the road widening can be carried out more effectively. The Ciracas administration has coordinated with the Jakarta Public Works Agency and the Jakarta Social Agency to determine how the utility infrastructure can be addressed. The coordination is intended to ensure that the widening work can proceed while existing public infrastructure is properly managed.
Meanwhile, Suparwo Abdullah, the head of RW 11 in Kelapa Dua Wetan, welcomed the efforts by the subdistrict and district authorities to address the traffic problem. He said congestion in the area occurs almost every day and can become severe enough to affect residents’ activities and comfort. Local authorities are therefore combining physical road improvements with coordination over utility infrastructure to address the causes of the bottleneck. If completed as planned, the widening is expected to provide additional road space and potentially reduce the recurring congestion around the two intersections.
Alexander Jason – Redaksi
