Odd-Even Traffic Policy Trial On Toll Road Starts Today

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

Traffic jam on the Cikampek Kilometer 6 Toll Road, Bekasi, Wednesday (12/13/2017).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The trial of the odd-even traffic policy on the Trans-Java Toll Road begins on Monday (25/4/2022). The public is asked to comply with the policy, as the success of the trial is highly dependent on the compliance of vehicle users.

The trial is based on a joint decision by the National Police’s traffic unit (Korlantas), the Transportation Ministry’s Directorate General of Land Transportation, the Public Works and Housing Ministry’s Indonesia Toll Road Authority (BPJT), and toll road business entities (BUJT).

"I hope that the public will comply," Korlantas head Insp. Gen. Firman Shantyabudi said on Sunday (24/4).

According to data from Korlantas, Monday's odd-even traffic trial runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., from kilometer marker (KM) 47 on the Jakarta-Cikampek Toll Road to KM 70 at the Cikampek Utama tollgate.

IRMA TAMBUNAN

Insp. Gen. Firman Shantyabudi (front).

On Tuesday (26/4), the trial runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., from KM 47 of the Jakarta-Cikampek Toll Road to KM 188 at the Palimanan tollgate in Cirebon, West Java. Meanwhile, on Wednesday (27/4), the trial runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., from KM 47 of the Jakarta-Cikampek Toll Road to KM 414 at the Kalikangkung tollgate in Semarang, Central Java.

If there is congestion during the trial, the National Police will manage the traffic by enforcing a counterflow system. However, if the vehicle density still exceeds the maximum limit, the National Police will enforce a one-way traffic management system.

Also read:

> Odd-Even, One-Way Traffic Starts April 28

> Mudik Travelers by Motorcycle: Between Need and Safety

Firman said that information on the trial of the odd-even traffic policy had been published in several media. He had also asked the traffic police and the regional police to put up signs, especially near the entrance gates of toll roads, “so that people will not be disappointed with our odd-even traffic policy trial”, he said.

Firman stressed that motorists who knew about the traffic policy trial were expected to follow it. "The schedule is there, [ineligible vehicles] are not allowed to enter the toll road. Otherwise, we will tell them to turn back. People who know about this policy, please do not play around. This is so that everything runs smoothly," he said.

During the trial, vehicles with even-numbered license plates would not be allowed to enter the Mohamed bin Zayed Elevated Toll Road.

Law enforcement subdirector Adj. Sr. Comr. Jamal Alam at the Jakarta Police’s traffic division said that only vehicles with odd-numbered license plates would be allowed to enter the toll road location designated for the trial on Monday. During the trial, vehicles with even-numbered license plates would not be allowed to enter the Mohamed bin Zayed Elevated Toll Road.

"Vehicles with even-numbered license plates are not allowed to enter the Mohamed bin Zayed (MBZ) Elevated Toll Road and will be told to take exit at the West Cikarang tollgate," said Jamal.

PT JASA MARGA

Traffic conditions at the main Cikampek Toll Gate, on Tuesday (4/5/2021).

State-owned toll road operator PT Jasa Marga said it was ready to support the traffic policy trial. "Jasa Marga is ready to support the trial implementation of the traffic policy by alerting [toll road] attendants, putting up signs and disseminating information through dynamic message signs to ensure that road users' trips remain safe," said Dwimawan Heru, the head of corporate communications and community development group at Jasa Marga.

Vehicles depart Jakarta

According to data from Jasa Marga, as many as 312,755 vehicles had departed from Greater Jakarta (Jabotabek) on Friday (22/4) and Saturday (23/4), respectively D-10 (10 days before) and D-9 (nine days before) Lebaran. This figure was collected from the four main tollgates of Cikupa (to Merak), Ciawi tollgate (to Puncak), and the Cikampek Utama and Kalihurip Utama tollgates (to Trans-Java Toll Road / Bandung).

The total number of vehicles heading out of Greater Jakarta, said Heru, was 7.8 percent less than normal traffic in November 2021, which totaled 339,205 vehicles.

Looking at the number of vehicles leaving Greater Jakarta on Friday and Saturday, Heru observed that not many private vehicle users had departed. He expressed the hope, however, that outbound mudik (exodus) travelers would avoid the peak of mudik Idul Fitri, which was projected to happen on 29-30 April 2022. "Hopefully, mudik travelers will leave earlier," he said.

Based on Kompas’ observations from Sunday afternoon (24/4) until 6 p.m., traffic was still relatively smooth on the Jakarta-Cikampek Toll Road. Vehicles could drive at speeds above 80 kilometers per hour. However, traffic tended to stall when vehicles changed lanes. (JOL/NAD/TAM/GIO/ ERK/FLO/EGI/DIA)

(This article was translated by Kurniawan Siswo)