Prepare Everything for Homecoming Journey

Surges of \'mudik\' (exodus) traffic on the third and sixth days before Idul Fitri have increased preparations across relevant agencies. Anticipatory measures will be important in the face of two waves of \'mudik\'.

KOMPAS/WISNU WIDIANTORO

Motorists line up at the Kertasari toll gate, Tegal, Central Java, before continuing their journey through the Batang-Semarang toll road project, which was temporarily opened, on Sunday (10/6/2018). Traffic engineering and the temporary opening of segments of toll road projects facilitated the smoothness of traffic.

CIKARANG, KOMPAS – The expected two waves of mudik (exodus) traffic were based on the different holiday periods for civil servants and private sector employees. This is reflected in the two surges of mudik traffic on the third and sixth days before Idul Fitri.

Transportation Ministry land transportation director general Budi Setiyadi said on Wednesday (13/6/2018) that he expected mudik journeys to peak from June 18 to 20 and again from June 22 to 24. Those who traveled home earlier might return earlier. Those who traveled home later may return later.

To anticipate surges in mudik traffic, Budi said a semipermanent contraflow traffic policy would be applied if traffic was backed up more than 3 kilometers. “The semipermanent policy means that it will be applied for a longer time until traffic congestion is reduced,” he said.

Another anticipatory measure is to split vehicles into toll and regular roads. “Traffic will be split to reduce congestion. If possible, we will arrange it so that 50 percent of traffic is on toll roads and the other 50 percent on regular roads. Toll roads will be closed at certain hours so that vehicles will go through regular roads,” Budi said. Included in the toll roads are Pejagan, Brebes, Kanci, Cirebon, Palimanan and Majalengka toll roads.

State toll road operator PT Jasa Marga will give a 10 percent discount for all vehicles using toll roads on June 18 and 19.

Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Idham Aziz said the police had prepared measures to deal with traffic. “We will apply policies similar to during the mudik travel period. Personnel guarding police posts will also be deployed to manage traffic,” he said.

Indonesian Transportation Society (MTI) expert board chair Danang Parikesit said he predicted the first wave mudik would occur on June 17 to 19. He said the second wave might occur on June 23 and 24.

The risk for motorcyclists remains large, as Danang said only around 2.5 percent of all holidaymakers on motorcycle transported their motorbikes on trucks, buses, trains or ships.

KOMPAS/WISNU WIDIANTORO

Vehicles of various types leave Jakarta and are monitored at a section of the Jakarta-Cikampek toll road in Bekasi, West Java, on Wednesday (13/6/2018). When crowded, the police apply a policy to open one lane of the reverse traffic flow to ease severe congestion.

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Traffic surge

Data from the Transportation Ministry’s national integrated Idul Fitri transportation post showed that 104,690 vehicles went through the Jakarta-Cikampek toll road on the third day before Idul Fitri with an average speed of 20.52 km per hour. This figure was lower than on the sixth day before Idul Fitri, which reached 109,164 vehicles with an average speed of 42.1 kmh.

Land Transportation Directorate General post head Nurhadi Unggul Wibowo said on Wednesday holidaymakers began their journey separately throughout the day on the sixth day before Idul Fitri. On the third day before Idul Fitri, most holidaymakers began their journey early in the day.

Traffic congestion on the third day before Idul Fitri might have been linked with the fact that it was the last day of work for many private sector workers. “Congestion peaked at night on the third day before Idul Fitri all the way to the next morning on the second day before Idul Fitri. Vehicles exited Greater Jakarta at mostly the same time, namely at night,” Nurhadi said. Despite the number of vehicles leaving Jakarta on the third day before Idul Fitri (12/6) being lower than those on the sixth day before Idul Fitri, severe congestion occurred at the Jakarta-Cikampek toll road. Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi urged the National Traffic Police to extend contraflow hours to reduce congestion.

Other than that, congestion was also caused by overburdened rest areas. Rest Area 207A on Palimanan-Kanci toll road in Cirebon, West Java, heading to Central Java, was closed twice on Wednesday between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Police personnel and toll road officers directed vehicles to exit the Kanci toll gate some 3 kilometers away.

The Cikampek-Palimanan toll road was still closed as of Wednesday at 11 p.m. due to heavy traffic coming from Jakarta. All lanes between Kilometer 82 and Kilometer 190 of Palimanan-Cikopo toll road were used for traffic from Jakarta. Consequently, traffic from Jakarta was smooth. However, many vehicles from Jakarta were stuck at the rest area on Kilometer 130 in Cikedung.

KOMPAS/P RADITYA MAHENDRA YASA

Vehicles cross the Kalikuto bridge project, which was temporarily opened to reduce congestion in Gringsing district, Batang regency, Central Java, on Wednesday (13/6/2018). Severe congestion like what was seen a few years earlier has begun to decrease. The police, Indonesian Military (TNI) soldiers and volunteers carried out traffic engineering and guarding at critical points of congestion.

Idul Fitri \'mudik\'

From Kendal, Central Java, it was reported that the Kalikuto Bridge would be opened between Wednesday and Saturday next week (24/6/2018) for Lebaran traffic. Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono said the bridge would be opened 24/7 with police monitoring. Despite being able to cut travel time down between Semarang and Brebes by 1.5 hours, the 100-meter bridge was still in a functional or emergency operation condition.

The homebound journey on the Nagreg route in Bandung regency, West Java, was expected to peak two days before Idul Fitri, or on Wednesday. Congestion was found on areas where traffic lanes merge, railway crossings and markets. Traffic on the Nagreg route moved at 10 kmh at the fastest. The route includes Nagreg downhill road, Limbangan market and the Cikaledong intersection.

(E18/E05/E22/COK/IDO/GER/IKI/DRA/KRN/RTG/ACI/THY)