Bali's Ngurah Rai Airport Trials Traffic Flow To Anticipate Weekend Overcrowding

DENPASAR - General Manager of I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, Bali Handy Heryudhitiawan said that in the airport area, traffic flow trials will be carried out to anticipate weekend congestion.

Handy said the trial will take place on Friday (22/9) tomorrow from 12.00-21.00 WITA following a tendency to increase the number of passengers on weekends.

In August, there was an average increase in passengers by 5 percent every weekend. Of course, the increase in passengers has an impact on traffic congestion around the airport," he said, Thursday, September 21.

From the records of I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, on average, there were 6,661 units of two-wheeled vehicles in and out of the airport and 27,111 units of four-wheeled vehicles.

"For this reason, in order to maintain the comfort of service users and the smooth running of the community to drive around the airport, we carried out a traffic engineering trial around the airport and this engineering was not permanent but situational. If there is no congestion, the traffic flow will not change or the same as usual days," he said.

The traffic engineering scheme that will be implemented tomorrow starts from the Bali Mandara toll road to Jalan Airport Ngurah Rai, where airport road access can only be passed by vehicles that want to go to the airport.

Meanwhile, people who generally cross the road to get to Kuta will be diverted enough to the intersection of the Satria Gatotkaca Statue, unable to continue until the intersection in front of the airport entrance.

"In this traffic engineering, access to Kuta only goes through the Tuban Highway at the intersection of the Satria Gatotkaca Statue. As for access to exit from the airport, there is no change," said Handy.

If in the trial process there are motorists who are missed at the intersection of the Satria Gatotkaca Statue, they can turn the vehicle around in front of the Wisti Sabha Building, PT Angkasa Pura I.

"In this trial, an open-close road system will be implemented, so that traffic engineering is carried out according to the situation and conditions in the field. Supporting signs are also available. We ask that vehicle drivers pay attention to these signs," he continued.

To support the smooth traffic engineering around this airport, I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport has provided socialization to the surrounding community through the Tuban and Kuta Traditional Bendesesa, including the addition of signs.

Support for this activity also emerged from relevant stakeholders such as the Head of the Airport Police AKBP Ida Ayu Wikarniti who assessed this trial in order to realize security, order, safety and smooth traffic both entering and leaving I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport.

Personnel from the police will also be deployed to assist in regulating the flow at several congestion-prone points.