Some 1.5 mln vehicles projected leaving Jabodetabek on long weekend

Jakarta (ANTARA) - State-owned toll road operator, PT Jasa Marga, forecasts 1,559,680 vehicles leaving the Greater Jakarta (Jabodetabek) area during D-3 Isra Mi'raj to D+4 of the Chinese New Year holiday during January 24-February 2, a 10.9-percent increase from normal traffic.

"This is the cumulative figure of traffic flow from the four main toll gates (GT), namely GT Cikupa (to Merak), GT Ciawi (to Puncak), GT Cikampek Utama (to Trans Java), and GT Kalihurip Utama (to Bandung)," Corporate Communication & Community Development Group Head of Jasa Marga, Lisye Octaviana, stated on Saturday.

She has ensured the readiness of the Jasa Marga toll road operation service, particularly on toll road sections likely to become popular tourist destinations during holidays, such as the Jagorawi Toll Road for the Puncak area and its surroundings and the Jakarta-Cikampek and Cipularang toll roads for those travelling to Trans Java and Bandung.

"We also increase the number of officers and mobile readers to increase transaction capacity at the main toll gates. Moreover, potential congestion is anticipated along with the readiness of traffic engineering plans, such as contraflow, by placing officers and supporting signs," she remarked.

Octaviana then detailed the distribution of outbound traffic from Greater Jakarta in three directions: 731,714 vehicles, or 46.91 percent, will head East (Trans Java and Bandung); 470,089 vehicles, or 30.14 percent, will travel to West (Merak); and 357,877 vehicles, or 22.95 percent, will go South (Puncak).

Octaviana stated that traffic leaving Greater Jakarta towards Trans Java via the Cikampek Utama Toll Gate had increased by 373,083 vehicles, or 36.7 percent, compared to normal levels.

Traffic leaving Greater Jakarta for Bandung via the Kalihurip Utama Toll Gate increased by 358,631 vehicles, or 11.2 percent, compared to usual.

In contrast, traffic leaving Greater Jakarta for Merak via the Cikupa Toll Gate reached 470,089 vehicles, representing a slight increase of 0.1 percent compared to normal levels. Lastly, the number of vehicles leaving Greater Jakarta towards Puncak via the Ciawi Toll Gate increased by 357,877 or 4.9 percent of the normal traffic.