More Complete and Comfortable, but Work Remains

Kompas

The Pejagan-Pemalang toll road section of the Trans-Java toll road in Brebes Regency, Central Java, Friday (17/12/2021).

A variety of visible improvements have been made to the Trans-Java toll road from Jakarta to Surabaya, compared to when it was inaugurated three years ago. However, work still remains.

The Kompas daily passed the Trans-Java toll road from Jakarta to Surabaya over five days from Monday (13/12/2021) to Friday (17/12/2021). The journey of more than 2,000 kilometers both ways revealed various improvements to the country’s longest toll road.

The road is generally smooth and its condition is good. Road repairs were ongoing at only a few points on the Cikopo-Palimanan (Cipali) section, ranging from light to heavy repairs, including on the concrete surface of the toll road.

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In addition, construction was ongoing on several interchanges and new entry and exit ramps at several locations. For example, an interchange is being constructed at kilometer marker (KM) 152+200 to connect the Cipali section with the Cileunyi-Sumedang-Dawuan (Cisumdawu) toll road. This interchange is very important because it will cut the travel time from Bandung to Kertajati International Airport in Majalengka regency, West Java.

Meanwhile, an interchange is being built at KM 373 in Batang, Central Java, near the Batang Integrated Industrial Estate. Another new interchange can also be seen under construction along the Surabaya-Mojokerto section. The Wringinanom interchange connects the Surabaya-Mojokerto section and the Krian-Legundi-Bunder-Manyar section.

These projects take up space along the shoulder of the road, so motorists need to be more alert and careful when passing the construction site.

KOMPAS/IWAN SANTOSA

Trans-Java Toll Road, Jakarta-Semarang section

The number of rest areas has also increased compared to 2018, when the toll road opened. The rest areas also have complete facilities. In the past, rest areas were only equipped with public toilets, a gas station, and a number of food stalls. Today, Class A rest areas also offer branded restaurants and cafes, factory outlets, and even electric vehicle charging stations (SPKLU).

According to the state electricity company (PLN) mobile application, eight rest areas are equipped with SPKLU, four stations headed to Surabaya at KM 207A, KM 379A, KM 519 A, and KM 626A and four stations heading to Jakarta (KM 207B, KM 389B, KM 519B, KM 626B). The availability of the SPKLU means that electric car users no longer need to worry about running out of battery power in the middle of a long trip.

However, the distance is still relatively between these fully equipped gas stations along several sections. Along the Cirebon-Semarang section, for example, the KM 228+200 rest area is the last area equipped with a gas station before the next one at KM 379. So no gas station is available for a distance of more than 150 kilometers. Drivers who need to refuel between these two rest areas have to first exit the toll road to find a gas station in the nearest city, for example Tegal.

Potholes are still found along the toll road, although not too many. On this journey, potholes were found at KM 267B heading towards Jakarta, and it appears that a number of repairs are being carried out up to KM 262B.

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During heavy rain around KM 600B in Madiun, East Java, water puddled along the right side of the road. Drivers need to be extra careful navigating this puddle because of the risk of aquaplaning and losing control of the car.

Indonesia Toll Road Authority (BPJT) head Danang Parikesit admitted that many users still complained about the quality of roads and services on the Trans-Java toll road. One problem was the number of puddles of water during the rainy season. "The more toll roads, the higher the public expectations [for quality]. We understand that," he said.

Toll road business entities (BUJT), which manage toll roads, were continuously encouraged to provide services in accordance with the minimum service standards (SPM), including eliminating potholes.

Therefore, toll road conditions and feasibility would be evaluated regularly every six months over a period of two years before increasing the toll rate.

However, good road conditions were often restored only when the toll rates were adjusted. Therefore, toll road conditions and feasibility would be evaluated regularly every six months over a period of two years before increasing the toll rate.

“When the road is in good condition, it is reported and we conduct a good survey. Now this [approach] can no longer [be applied]. The [road] condition report must be good for four semesters, and then it can be granted a tariff adjustment. If only the fourth semester is good, we plan to impose a penalty in the form of delaying the tariff adjustment," he said.

KOMPAS/ERWIN EDHI PRASETYA

A number of vehicles crossed the Trans-Java Toll Road section of the Salatiga-Solo-Sragen section in the Boyolali area, Central Java, Saturday (4/5/2019).

Next year, the BPJT is planning a complete road quality and safety audit. Guidelines for auditing and technically measuring SPM are also being prepared so that starting in 2022, road quality can be better maintained in keeping with good guidelines. Certification will also apply to BUJT maintenance managers.

Road safety

Danang added that safety was very important and was a main consideration for road trips. According to him, toll roads had the best safety among all roads in the country.

In January-October 2021, a total of 1,304 accidents were recorded on toll roads. Less than 1,500 toll road accidents are projected for December 2021. The number of road accidents had decreased from 2,528 incidents in 2020 and 2,626 incidents in 2019.

Meanwhile, the car accident fatality rate for toll roads reached 0.061 deaths accidents (per 100 million vehicles/kilometer) in January-October 2021. The fatality rate was 0.105 in 2020 and 0.12 in 2019. The decline in the number of fatal victims is deemed to align with the application of car accident prevention technology on toll roads.

"We are prioritizing efforts to reduce accidents and reduce fatalities, rather than increasing the speed limit on toll roads. The safety of road users is more important than getting to their destination quickly," he said.

So far, the highest cause of accidents is driver error (87 percent), followed by vehicle condition (12.5 percent) and infrastructure (0.5 percent). Driver-related accident factors include lack of anticipation and carelessness, as well as not maintaining safe distance while driving at high speeds.

Vehicle-related factors include brake or steering failure, flat tires, inadequate headlights, and overloading. Meanwhile, infrastructure-related factors included potholes and road damage.

The higher the speed, the higher the risk of an accident.

The BPJT is continuing its efforts to raise driver awareness on using toll roads according to the designated speed limit of 60-100 km per hour. The higher the speed, the higher the risk of an accident.

This year, the BPJT, in collaboration with the National Search and Rescue Agency, carried out a medical evacuation (medevac) trial on the Trans-Java toll road, along the MBZ elevated toll road and Jagorawi toll road.

The medevac trials on the Trans-Java toll road will continue in 2022. The Trans-Java toll road has been designed with three helicopter landing pads in Semarang, Jakarta-Cikampek, and Surabaya.

KOMPAS/ERWIN EDHI PRASETYA

A number of vehicles crossed the Trans-Java Toll Road section of the Salatiga-Solo-Sragen section in the Boyolali area, Central Java, Saturday (4/5/2019).

"We have designed this [medical evacuation] as the standard for handling victims on toll roads so as to reduce the fatality rate," said Danang.

(This article was translated by Kurniawan Siswoko)