‘Mudik’ Congestion Expected in Cikampek Starting Sunday
Mudik traffic was projected to start on Sunday (16/4/2023), when the 20 percent discount for toll roads took effect. The traffic was likely to peak three days before Idul Fitri, namely on Wednesday (19/4/2023).
By
Kompas Team
·3 minutes read
ADRYAN YOGA PARAMADWYA
Traffic flow at the Cikampek Utama Toll Gate, Karawang, West Java, Friday (14/4/2023). A week before Idul Fitri 2023, traffic flow at the Cikampek Utama Toll Gate is still normal.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS – As of Friday evening (14/4/2023), there was no significant increase in travelers on the Cikampek toll road to Palimanan. Mobility during this year’s mudik (exodus) season is expected to pick up on Sunday (16/4). Travelers are expected to prepare as much as they can as the surge in homebound journeys begin.
Ria Marlinda Paalo, corporate secretary of toll road operator PT Jasa Marga Transjawa Tol, said there were no traffic jams from Jakarta to Cikampek as of Friday night. The average volume of vehicles entering from the Cikampek Utama tollgate heading to Palimanan was still normal,at around 31,000 vehicles per day.
According to Ria, mudik traffic was projected to start on Sunday (16/4/2023), when the 20 percent discount for toll roads took effect. The traffic was likely to peak three days before Idul Fitri, namely on Wednesday (19/4/2023). “We hope that travelers will take advantage of the 20 percent toll discount to reduce the density of travelers,” she said.
On Friday from 6 a.m. to 5:31 p.m., a total of 17,524 vehicles passed through the Cikampek Utama tollgate heading towards Palimanan. In comparison, 18,753 vehicles passed through the same tollgate on Thursday (13/4).
According to a survey by the Transportation Ministry, it is estimated that 18.3 million people from Greater Jakarta will travel to their hometowns for Idul Fitri. A total of 9.2 million travelers are expected use the Trans-Java toll road. The government has urged the public to depart early to avoid peak traffic, which is projected to occur on 18-20 April 2023.
Executive director Deddy Herlambang of the Institute of Transportation Studies (Instran) said people typically departed for their hometowns two days before Idul Fitri. Most travelers from Greater Jakarta used land routes, including toll roads.
ADRYAN YOGA PARAMADWYA
Traffic flow at the Cikampek Utama Toll Gate, Karawang, West Java, Friday (14/4/2023).
Transportation Minister Budy Karya Sumadi said several crucial points must be monitored during mudik this year. One was along the Trans-Java toll road, especially along the Cikampek-Palimanan route, where a number of traffic policies would be implemented, such as the contraflow and one-way traffic policies, to reduce vehicle density.
“President Joko Widodo is paying close attention to [public] services during mudik. The projected spike in travelers has made us more vigilant and careful. The planning went well, but its implementation must also be good,” Budi said while inaugurating the 2023 Idul Fitri transportation post at the Transportation Ministry in Jakarta.
Apart from the Cikopo-Palimanan toll road section, the Merak-Bakauheni ferry crossing was also a concern. Beyond Java, potential congestion was expected in a number of areas, such as Batam, Banjarmasin, Samarinda, Selayar, Pangkalan Bun, and Tarakan, as well as Maluku and Sorong in Papua, where the local residents tended to use sea transportation.
In South Sumatra, mudik travelers might face extreme weather conditions. Desindra Deddy Kurniawan, head of the Class II Sultan Meteorological Station, explained that South Sumatra was transitioning from the rainy season to the dry season in April.
“As a result, the potential for extreme weather is very likely. Strong winds and heavy rainfall can make it difficult for motorcyclists. There is a risk of landslides in upland areas and a risk of flooding in lowland areas,” said Desindra.
In Bali, the number of mudik travelers passing through I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport was also expected to increase during Idul Fitri this year. The head of the Area IV Bali Airport Authority Office, Agustinus Budi Hartono, said an estimated 40 percent increase in passenger mobility was expected. This was reflected in the reports from several airlines adding flights. (Z04/Z02/Z05/COK/EGI/ZAK/JUM/RAM/VIO)
