JakartaPost-Sept 19
The government has announced plans for the development of an autonomous rapid transit (ART) system to combat traffic congestion in Bali’s tourism hotspot of Kuta. “The most congested area is the city center, so we’re planning to have an ART operate in Kuta, which will reduce the number of vehicles there,” Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said on Tuesday, as quoted by Kompas.com. “This will address part of Bali’s transportation issues,” he added. A cross between a tram and a bus, the ART to be developed by Chinese state-owned manufacturer China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC) is an autonomous public transportation system that uses sensors and rubber wheels and can operate without tracks. The system will resemble one to be developed by the same company in Nusantara, Indonesia’s future capital city under construction in East Kalimantan. The ministry procured three units earlier this year for about Rp 210 billion and the system is currently undergoing trials that are set to continue until the end of October. Tourist-dependent Bali attracts millions of foreign visitors annually, and the beach-dotted island’s narrow roads have been clogged with traffic jams since its reopening after the COVID-19 pandemic. According to data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS) Bali, the number of vehicles in the province reached about 5 million in 2023, continuing a 5 percent annual growth trend observed since 2021. Limited public transportation infrastructure in Bali means most tourists and residents rely on private transportation to move around. Budi said the government would pursue an integrated approach to address the longstanding transportation problems, with plans that also include the construction of a light rail transit (LRT) system. The LRT, slated to enter service in 2025, is part of a broader Bali Urban Railway development plan and marks the island’s first rail-based public transit system. Read more at: https://www.thejakartapost.com/business/2024/09/19/bali-to-get-autonomous-transit-system-to-ease-congestion-minister.html.
