NEW TOLL ROAD BLAMED FOR FLOODING IN BALI

Poor Drainage at Southern Entrance to Bali Mandara Toll Way Blamed for Severe Flooding During Seasonal Rains.

Heavy rains during the current rainy season are causing floods in many areas of Denpasar and South Bali. DenPost and NusaBali report that during periods of heavy rain Jalan Bypass Ngurah Rai in front of the southernmost entrance to the Bali Mandara Toll Way suffers flooding sufficient to bring traffic to an absolute standstill.

On Wednesday, February 11, 2015, heavy rains caused backlogs of traffic from the intersection of Taman Geria Jimbaran to the entrance road of the toll way. Rains completely submerged the southbound lane of the By Pass, causing the northbound lane to accommodate traffic in two direction that moved at a snail’s pace.

The floodwater with an estimated depth of one-meter completely submerged several vehicles that stalled in the southbound lane.

A local resident said the deepest flooding occurred in front of the BCA Bank branch in Nusa Dua and the Oleh-Oleh Kahuripan Shop.

Despite the fact that drainage work was only recently completed in the area, many cite drains clogged with trash as the cause of the flooding.

For future reference, three areas have been identified as prone to flooding on the Nusa Dua Peninsula:

The Bypass at the southernmost entrance to the Bali Toll Way

The Bypass in front of the Oleh-Oleh Kahuripan Store

The Bypass in front of the Kertha Semadhi Crematorium

Jalan Siligita near the Hotel Santika

The head of the Public Works Department for the Badung Regency, I.B. Surya, told DenPost there was little his office could do to address the flooding caused by poor drainage at the entrance to the Toll Way. Surya said that the toll way was a national highway under the control of Jakarta.

Letters written to the Ministry of Public works and the National Highway Department have not received a response.