Workers clean a section of the Batang-Gringsing toll road under construction in Ketanggan village, Gringsing district, Batang regency, Central Java, on Monday (12/6). The cleaning is carried out in preparation for huge flows of traffic during the exodus of travelers celebrating Idul Fitri in their respective hometowns. According to the plan, the 110-kilometer Brebes-Grinsing toll road will be operated 10 days ahead of the Lebaran festivity.
BREBES, KOMPAS – The new Brebes-Gringsing toll road will be operational 10 days before Idul Fitri, although most of its supporting facilities are not yet ready. Large amounts of dust, bumpy surfaces, narrowing bridges and a lack of rest areas will make for uncomfortable travel.
On Monday, Kompas made a 36.5-kilometer journey from Pasekaran village, Batang district, which is an extension to the Pemalang-Batang toll road. The road is made of lean concrete (LC) with a thickness of 10 centimeters and a width of 7 meters.
Road conditions are up and down after Kandeman bridge. Some sections of road run adjacent to the edge of a cliff. Barriers exist on both sides of the road in the area.
Dried red earth is found nearly all along the stretch of road, as trucks also use the route to deliver earth. Every time a truck passes by, dust flies through the air.
Sand is still scattered along some sections of toll road. When a four-wheeled vehicle passes by, flurries of dust and sand block the view of the motorist behind it. The road has been cleared in some locations.
Sign posts are installed every 5 meters on both sides of the road. Reflectors or light-reflecting panels for illumination by headlights are also installed on signposts to overcome the absence of lighting at night.
Road signs that are installed include those showing a maximum speed limit of 30 kilometers (km) per hour, slippery road signs, steep grade warning signs and landslide or falling rocks hazard signs. At intersections, there are booths as well as speed advisory signs to lower speeds to 20 km per hour.
A number of bridges are still temporary, in the form of an H-beam or Bailey. Temporary Bailey bridges are built above Kali Roban and Kali Urang, among other rivers.
Four rest areas are under construction along the Batang-Gringsing toll road, located at Juragan, Gondang, Ketanggan, and Gringsing. Each rest area is 27 meters x 225 meters, with a parking capacity of 100 cars. The rest areas will have toilets, mushalla (prayer rooms), health services, and ambulances.
The Batang-Semarang toll road project leader, R Beni Dwi Septiadi, said a section of about 82 meters long of the 36.5-km Batang-Gringsing toll road was not yet paved with lean concrete. In the remaining time available, he believed all work on the toll road would be completed so exodus travelers could use it. At present, workers are still clearing the road of construction debris.
"Cleaning will become optimal once the trucks stop passing the side of the road. We will stop trucks on day 11 before Idul Fitri so that cleaning can be carried out well," Beni added.
The Pejagan-Batang toll road, with a width of seven meters, has two one-way lanes from Jakarta to Semarang. Some parts of the road are bumpy so that motorists will feel uncomfortable traveling at speeds of 60 kilometers per hour.
Dust flurries limit visibility, obscuring the rise and fall of the road. In some areas, the road narrows into a single lane because it must pass a wooden bridge. It is feared the narrowing road will cause a bottleneck.
At night, conditionsare more severe because there is no adequate lighting. Road lights are available only at temporary rest areas and at the entrance of the Pejagan section.
Dust also shortens the visibility range and may make accidents highly likely. Reflectors on the 50-cm signposts are also not very helpful, as they will be visible only when drivers switch to high beams.
Public Works and Public Housing Minister (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono said the toll roads were imperfect because construction was not yet finished.
However, he government will temporarily operate this section of toll road to prevent the recurrence of a heavy traffic jam at the East Brebes toll road exit. Therefore, improvements are continuing to be made so that the road section will be safe for travelers.
"For this year’s homebound trip, the toll road will be open for 24 hours. However, police are authorized to close the toll road if it is considered too dangerous at night. The new toll road will be fully operational by 2018," Basuki said.
Basuki has ordered toll road operators to carry out routine inspections once a day, and add road reflectors as a guide for motorists. In addition, operators will also provide temporary rest areas for travelers.
Rest areas
The director of Jasa Marga\'s Operation II, Subakti Syukur, said emergency rest areas would be available every 10 kilometers. The rest areas will provide facilities such as toilets, health services, and places to rest.
Head of Toll Road Regulatory Agency Herry Trisaputra Zuna explained that there were three main toll road entrances and eight secondary toll road entrances that could be used by travelers to access the toll road artery.
The three main entrances are located in Sewaka (Pemalang), Kandeman (Batang), and Gringsing (Kendal), while the secondary entrances are located in Ujung Rusi (Tegal), Karangjati (Tegal), Warureja (Pemalang), Beji (Pemalang), Bojong (Pekalongan), Segog (Batang), Banyuputih (Batang), Mentosari (Kendal).
"The point is, do not let all motorists out at the same tollgate," he said. Subakti said the main toll road entrances in Cikarang would be expanded from 13 gates to 20 gates to overcome long traffic jams.
Jasa Marga will also install a remote traffic microwave sensor (RTMS) to monitor congestion in Cikunir, Cikarang Utama, Dawuan, Purbaleunyi, and Palimanan. Data from the RTMS is connected to Traffic Police headquarters and will be used to determine traffic flow strategies.
The PUPR will also provide additional parking areas 1 kilometer before every rest area. There will be eight additional parking areas between Cikampek and Pemalang.
