DENPASAR – The increasingly complex traffic congestion in Denpasar has become a serious concern for various stakeholders. Through a Public Discussion titled “Denpasar Traffic Congestion: Urban Challenges and Collaborative Solutions,” the Serikat Media Siber Indonesia (SMSI) Denpasar chapter presented a number of concrete ideas aimed at identifying long-term solutions for urban transportation.
The event, held at Graha Sewaka Dharma, Lumintang, on Thursday (February 26, 2026), was part of the 238th anniversary celebration of Denpasar. It brought together representatives from government institutions, academia, the police, and the business sector in an open dialogue forum.
In a keynote speech by Denpasar Mayor I Gusti Ngurah Jaya Negara, delivered by Assistant for Economic and Development Affairs Ida Bagus Alit Adhi Merta, it was emphasized that congestion is not merely about the density of vehicles on the roads.
According to the city administration, traffic congestion has broad impacts on time efficiency, rising transportation costs, road user safety, and the overall quality of the urban environment.
“Congestion management must be carried out comprehensively, systematically, and sustainably through the synchronization of transportation policies with urban spatial planning,” he stated.
Head of the Denpasar Transportation Agency, Ketut Sriawan, revealed that the high use of private vehicles remains the primary cause of traffic density. Meanwhile, public transportation services are considered not yet optimally integrated.
He stressed the importance of cross-government collaboration, particularly within the Sarbagita metropolitan area, as community mobility is no longer confined to Denpasar’s administrative boundaries.
“Limited regional authority poses challenges in implementing sustainable transportation. Regulatory and legislative support is urgently needed,” he explained.
Beyond government policy, changes in public behavior are also seen as essential, including reducing the use of road space for non-traffic-related activities.
Professor Putu Rumawan Salain of Universitas Warmadewa stated that congestion solutions do not always require the construction of new roads. According to him, transportation issues must be viewed in relation to spatial patterns and the mobility culture of Balinese society.
He proposed strengthening technology-based traffic monitoring systems through the integration of surveillance cameras across agencies such as the Transportation Agency, the Communications and Information Office, the police, and Denpasar City Radio.
With a data-based system, traffic engineering could be implemented dynamically according to real-time field conditions.
Meanwhile, Denpasar Traffic Police Chief Commissioner Yusuf Dwi Admodjo emphasized the importance of optimizing the legally mandated Traffic and Road Transportation Forum.
“The traffic forum must be strengthened through local regulations to ensure effective congestion management. Public compliance with traffic rules is equally decisive,” he asserted.
Professor Putu Alit Suthanaya of Universitas Udayana highlighted that rising land prices in Denpasar are encouraging residents to move to surrounding buffer areas such as Badung, Gianyar, Tabanan, and Klungkung.
This suburbanization phenomenon, he warned, has the potential to increase daily commuter flows into Denpasar and place greater pressure on traffic in the future.
“Denpasar’s transportation problem is regional in nature. Its solution must be based on an integrated metropolitan transportation system,” he said.
The SMSI Denpasar public discussion concluded that congestion cannot be addressed partially. Cross-sector collaboration is required through policy integration, regulatory strengthening, technological utilization, and behavioral change toward a sustainable urban transportation system.
The event was supported by multiple institutions, including the Denpasar Transportation Agency, Garuda TV Bali, Living World, Kura Kura Bali, Denpasar Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda), PD Pasar Denpasar, PDAM Denpasar, BPJS Kesehatan, Swiss-BelResort Pecatu, Hotel Cakra, Hatten Wines, STB Runata, Quest San Hotel Denpasar, and Discovery Kartika Plaza.***
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