Three Years After the Inauguration of the Trans-Java Toll Road
The opening of the trans-Java toll road has spurred economic growth in a number of areas it passes. However, improvement is needed to further enhance the quality of toll roads.
The landscape of the Transjawa toll road for the Solo-Ngawi segment KM 544 in Sragen, Central Java, Thursday (16/4/2021). The existence of the Transjawa toll road which stretches from Cilegon, Banten to Banyuwangi, East Java.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The trans-Java toll road has significantly improved efficiency in transportation and helped spur economic growth. After three years of its operation, the toll road network should be optimally used to support the economy.
Construction of the trans-Java toll road was initiated about 40 years ago, but it became fully operational on 20 Dec. 2018. The toll road spans 1,023 kilometers from Merak in Banten to Probolinggo in East Java.
The trans-Java toll road has encouraged investment and the development of industrial estates in the areas it passes. A number of industrial estates have been developed in Batang and Kendal, Central Java. Another one in Brebes is currently in the land acquisition stage.
"According a study, since the operation of the toll road, investment in Central Java has increased by 11 percent," Peni Rahayu, the assistant secretary for the Economy and Development of Central Java, said in Semarang on Friday (12/17/2021).
Also read:
> Enjoy Fun Trip on the Trans-Java Toll Road
> Serang-Rangkasbitung Toll Road Boosts Banten's Economy
Thirteen new industrial-based cities will also be built in the next 10 to 30 years, especially in the Rebana area (Cirebon-Patimban-Kertajati), West Java. The area is supported by the presence of the West Java International Airport in Kertajati, Majalengka regency, and Patimban Port in Subang.
"If the plan can be realized, there will be 13 new cities that will provide around 5 million jobs and provide a 2-3 percent contribution to economic growth," said West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil.
In addition to the industrial sector, tourism in several areas surrounding the toll road has also begun to grow. Cirebon city in West Java, the cities of Semarang and Surakarta in Central Java and the city of Surabaya in East Java have attracted a large number of tourists.
Construction of the Dawuan Junction project on the Cikopo-Palimanan Toll Road KM 152, Majalengka, West Java, Monday (12/13/2021). The Dawuan junction will serve as a link between the Cileunyi - Sumedang - Dawuan (Cisumdawu) toll road and the Cikopo-Palimanan toll road. The Cisumdawu toll road will make access from Bandung to Kertajati Airport shorter and faster.
Logistics
The toll road has also helped grow the logistics business. The vice chairman of the Association of the Indonesian Truck Entrepreneurs for distribution and logistics in Central Java and Yogyakarta, Agus Pratiknyo, said that although the toll fee was still relatively high, using the toll road could significantly reduce traveling time.
"So, based on our estimate, the toll road helped increase our business performance by between 25 percent and 30 percent ," he said.
Before the toll road was available, a trip from Semarang to Jakarta took 36 to 40 hours or a day and a half. Now it takes about 15 hours.
The most visible impact is the increase in expedition and cargo truck activities, especially those carrying packages. If in the past, courier and cargo service companies relied on air planes to carry out their business, now, they mostly use the toll road, which is also cheaper.
However, many businessmen in East Java still prefer using non-toll roads. The head of the East Java Indonesian Logistics and Forwarders Association (ALFI), Hengky Pratoko, said only about 30 percent of the association’s members used the trans-Java toll road, as most of them still preferred using Java’s northern cost highways (Pantura).
"For cargo transportation, non-toll roads remain the main backbone because the cost of using toll roads is still relatively high. As an example, using the toll road from Surabaya to Semarang costs about Rp 600,000 [US$41.74] one way,” Hengky said on Saturday (11/12).
Also read:
> Connectivity the Lever of Economic Growth in Southeast Sulawesi
> Sumatra Toll Road Construction Continues
Meanwhile, Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono acknowledge that the trans-Java toll road had not been optimally used especially for cargo and logistics transportation. According to the minister, only 30 percent of cargo trucks have so far used the trans-Java toll road.
"We continue to make efforts so that logistics transportation can move to the toll road," he said.
The use of the toll road for cargo and logistics transportation can significantly save the state budget for non-toll road maintenance in the northern coast of Java. According to Basuki, the budget savings for road maintenance in the north coast could reach 20 percent or Rp 200 billion to Rp 300 billion per year.
Before the pandemic, in 2019, the daily traffic on the trans-Java toll road reached 1.5 million vehicles.
"We also have more space and time to organize the northern coast line. In addition, traffic management is also easier. If there is a traffic jam on the northern coast route, people will switch to the toll road," he said.
In terms of traffic on the trans-Java toll road, the director general of highways of the Public Works and Housing Ministry, Hedy Rahadian, said that the Covid-19 pandemic had caused a decline in the number of the toll road users. However, he predicted that traffic would return to the level recorded before the pandemic at the end of 2021.
"Before the pandemic, in 2019, the daily traffic on the trans-Java toll road reached 1.5 million vehicles. As for January-October 2021, the daily traffic had reached 1.36 million vehicles, so by the end of the year, the traffic could reach 1.5 million vehicles," he said.
Regional connectivity
Batang Integrated Industrial Estate (KITB) in Gringsing District, Batang, Central Java, Friday (17/12/2021). This industrial area which has direct access to the Transjawa toll road section of the Batang-Semarang section was initiated by the Government to encourage the strengthening of the industrial sector in Indonesia.
Transportation Budi Minister Karya Sumadi said the construction of toll roads would encourage economic growth along the toll road network. The connectivity of the areas traversed by toll roads is also getting better. For this reason, he suggested, the regions establish special economic zones that are different but complement from each other.
On the other hand, Budi acknowledged, the operation of the toll road, which has significantly reduced travel time, would create competition with air transportation.
“The number of airplane passengers from Surakarta to Surabaya, for example, has not been as high as it used to be. However, it doesn't matter; later there will be a new balance," he said.
A transportation researcher from Soegijapranata Catholic University in Semarang, Djoko Setijowarno, said that in general, the trans-Java toll road had both positive and negative impacts. From the positive side, land transportation has become faster because by using the toll road, travel times could be reduced by up to 50 percent, he said, adding that the toll road could also help also spur tourism.
Also read:
> Toll Road and the Capital for the Resurrection of Aceh
On the other hand, the number of inter-provincial buses, which previously served trips via national roads, has decreased or even disappeared, he said. This should also be considered. Meanwhile, the number of private cars or unofficial transportation from a number of areas to Jakarta and its surroundings, and vice versa, has also increased, which could harm public transportation in Indonesia.
Djoko also said that a number of sections of the trans-Java toll road were already damaged because soil compaction during the road construction was not so good.
“The road’s construction was carried out in hurry, so in just three months of its operation, it was immediately damaged. In fact, the carrying capacity of the soil should have been strengthened first before the road was constructed," he said.
In addition, the operation of overloaded trucks also contribute to the damages of the toll road. For, this reason, Djoko hopes that law enforcement will strictly prohibit overloaded trucks from using toll road.
"If the ban cannot by fully enforced, the implementation of the electronic traffic law on toll road should be accelerated," he said. (DIT/LKT/RYO/IKI/ NIK/ETA/TAM)
This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi.
