Cipali Toll Road to Go One-Way from Saturday

KOMPAS/PRIYOMBODO

An aerial photo of the flow of vehicles from Jakarta on the Jakarta-Cikampek elevated toll section toward the Kilometer Marker (KM) 48 meeting with the Jakarta-Cikampek toll road in Karawang regency, West Java, Friday (20/12/2019) at 6:20 p.m. The density of vehicles on the toll road has increased ahead of Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS—The National Police plan to implement a one-way traffic system on the Cikopo-Palimanan (Cipali) toll road from morning to afternoon on Saturday (21/12/2019), to deal with expected traffic jams as holidaymakers leave Jakarta for their home towns. Holidaymakers may use non-toll or national roads as alternatives if the toll roads’ traffic jams get too severe.

National Traffic Police Corps (Korlantas) chief Sr. Comr. Benyamin said on Friday (20/12) that dense traffic on the Cipali toll road might be caused by the toll road having only two lanes and could be overwhelmed by incoming traffic from the five-lane Jakarta-Cikampek (Japek) toll road. “If there is a traffic jam, most likely it will occur on the Cipali toll road, instead of the Japek toll road,” Benyamin said in Jakarta.

Toll road operator PT Jasa Marga Tbk said that 233,027 vehicles would leave Jakarta through toll roads toward West Java, Central Java-Yogyakarta and East Java during the Christmas and New Year’s Eve holiday period. This was a 6.18-percent increase from the same period last year. Christmas holiday traffic is expected to peak on 21 and 22 December.

Based on this consideration, Korlantas is to implement a one-way traffic system on the Cipali toll road on Saturday (21/12) from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., between Kilometer 70 (the Cikampek Utama toll gate) and Km 424 (the Kalikangkung toll gate).

KOMPAS/PRIYOMBODO

An aerial photo of the flow of vehicles from Jakarta on the Jakarta-Cikampek elevated toll section toward the Kilometer Marker (KM) 48 meeting with the Jakarta-Cikampek toll road in Karawang regency, West Java, Friday (20/12/2019) at 6:20 p.m. The density of vehicles on the toll road has increased ahead of Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

The Transportation Ministry’s land transportation director general, Budi Setyadi, said that the one-way traffic system would convince holidaymakers to leave Jakarta this Saturday. Budi said that he urged holidaymakers to start their journeys earlier to reduce traffic density on 22 December.

Nevertheless, Budi said that if traffic jams persisted on the Japek and Cipali toll roads, holidaymakers could use non-toll or national roads between Bekasi and Karawang in West Java as alternative routes.

In Bekasi, Jl. Kalimalang is an alternative route. Meanwhile, holidaymakers can exit the Cipali toll road and go through the national roads in the Indramayu and Cirebon regencies.

Benyamin said that the police would direct motorists to use roads on the northern coast, if traffic jams persist on the Japek toll road.

Situation at Japek toll road

From an observation made on Friday (20/12) afternoon, Kompas found no dense traffic ahead of the entry point of the Jakarta-Cikampek elevated toll road at Km 6. Motorists were able to drive at speeds of 60 to 80 km per hour. Trucks were directed not to use the elevated toll road.

On Friday evening, there was a higher volume of vehicles coming from Jakarta to Cikampek. Vehicles began to slow down at Km 48, the exit point of the elevated toll road toward Cikampek.

Nevertheless, there was no significant traffic jam at the meeting point.

At that point, vehicles exiting the elevated toll road met with vehicles going through the Japek toll road. Nevertheless, there was no significant traffic jam at the meeting point.

PT Jasa Marga’s Jakarta-Cikampek toll road traffic general manager, Aprimon, said the toll road was safe for holiday use. On Friday morning, Jasa Marga finished its repairs of the elevated toll road joints.

“An elevated toll road has joints, which may create vibrations in passing cars. With the repairs, we hope that the vibrations will be lessened,” he said.

Furthermore, Jasa Marga has also finished widening a road by the Jatiasih diversion lane and two lanes coming from Rorotan.

On Friday, the repair work led to motorists being able to use only one lane on the toll road. “Now, two lanes have been opened. There is no more traffic queue toward Cikunir,” he continued.

KOMPAS/FRANSISKUS PATI HERIN

People board a ship at Yos Sudarso Port in Ambon, Maluku, Wednesday (18/12/2019).

Indonesia Toll Road Authority (BPJT) head Danang Parikesit said that he urged toll road users to give feedback on the road’s condition, especially on which points they felt discomfort.

The BPJT is to use the feedback from motorists to evaluate the toll road. This evaluation would be conducted after the holidays.

“Please tell us which points are uncomfortable on the Jakarta-Cikampek toll road. We will then coordinate with Korlantas and Jasa Marga,” Danang said. (IGA/FAI)