Odd-Even Traffic Policy Remains Confusing for Many

KOMPAS/HERU SRI KUMORO

Police officers guard a car informing road users about the extension of the odd-even traffic policy at the Pancoran intersection, Jakarta, Tuesday (3/6/2018).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS –Despite the government having allocated a whole month to educate and prepare Jakartans for the odd-even traffic policy to ease traffic snarls during the Asian Games, many are still confused over the details of its implementation.

Wednesday (1/8/2018) will mark the start of a new phase in the odd-even traffic policy expansion on Jakarta’s major thoroughfares, with maximum fine being applied in ticketing motorists who violate the policy. However, just three days away from the day, many still do not understand the new policy.

In the first phase, the odd-even traffic policy was applied on Jl. Jenderal Sudirman, Jl. Gatot Subroto and Jl. MH Thamrin. After the expansion, the policy will also be applied on Jl. Benyamin Sueb, Jl. Ahmad Yani, Jl. DI Panjaitan, Jl. S Parman, Jl. Rasuna Said, Jl. MT Haryono and Jl. Metro Pondok Indah. The new policy will be in effect seven days a week, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The policy was expanded to fulfill a requirement set by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), namely that the travel time of Asian games participants between their accommodations and sports venues must not exceed 34 minutes.

During the trial period, policy violators were only warned and not ticketed. Motorists who violated the rule could still continue their journey. This is despite the police’s original plan of starting on July 17 to sort vehicles and prevent those who disobey the rule to enter the roads affected by it.

No informational boards or banners regarding the new policy was found on Jl. Gatot Subroto heading to Grogol. An outdated banner was attached to the bridge on BNN Transjakarta bus stop. No police or transportation agency personnel was seen socializing the new rule.

Motorist Bayu, 27, on Jl. Gatot Subroto, said that he could not care less about the odd-even traffic policy. He said that he felt he was completely uninformed about it.

He said that he always left his house in Citayam, Depok, at 5 a.m. to go to his office in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, in order to avoid the odd-even policy.

“I have yet to see any officer warning me not to use my car on certain days. Many do it so I’ll do it, too,” he said on Sunday.

Bayu said that he planned to start using a motorbike on Aug. 1, as riding in Jakarta’s public transportation made him uncomfortable.

Teddy, 39, a ride-hailing service driver, said that he had not received any information on the new odd-even policy. Once, a transportation agency personnel told him to pull over on Jl. Gatot Subroto during the policy’s trial period. However, the personnel did not provide him with information on alternative routes. The following days, he kept using his usual route.

Teddy said that, once the odd-even policy included fines for traffic violators, he would only serve customers in Jakarta on odd days, in line with his car’s license plate number. On even days, he will traverse around Depok or Bogor. Only one informational banner of the new odd-even policy was available on Jl. Metro Pondok Indah in South Jakarta, namely at the Jl. Kartini intersection. Many

motorists remained uninformed that the Pondok Indah region would be included in the new odd-even policy.

Pondok Indah-based motorist Bari, 29, said that he knew that the Pondok Indah area would be included in the new policy starting from Aug. 1. However, he said that he had no idea which roads would be affected by it. He said that he did not know Jl. Metro Pondok Indah, which he went through every day, would be included in the new policy.

“Perhaps it would be better if there are more banners,” he said on Sunday.

Haris Setya, 34, another driver who often traversed Jl. Metro Pondok Indah, also did not understand that the road would be included in the new policy. “I have no idea what alternative route to take. [The government] should have informed the public not only on the roads affected [by the new policy] but also the alternative routes that we can take,” he said.

No informational banners of the new policy was found on either Jl. Dewi Sartika or the alternative route of Pasar Minggu-Pejaten. Only informational banners of the old policy was available.

Jakarta transportation agency head Andri Yansyah said on Friday last week that public socialization on July 2-31 would be enough. He said that he saw the socialization period having as provided clear and thorough information on roads affected by the new policy in the city.

KOMPAS/TOTOK WIJAYANTO

An announcement board about the odd-even vehicle restriction is installed in the Bundaran Senayan area, South Jakarta, Sunday (29/07/2018). Beginning August 1, police officers will ticket vehicles that violate the regulation.

The agency and the Greater Jakarta Transportation Body (BPTJ) collaborate with app-based transportation services to inform the public on the odd-even policy’s schedule and affected roads. People can see roads affected by the policy on their cell phones’ apps. Andri said that his agency was still waiting for a gubernatorial regulation on the ticketing of traffic violators in the odd-even policy. The regulation is expected to be issued after an evaluation of the policy’s trial period.

Toll gates

A BPTJ study found that an odd-even traffic policy alone would not be enough to ensure timeliness of Asian Games participants’ travel around Jakarta. Therefore, the BPTJ has recommended traffic engineering on the toll route between the Kemayoran Athletes’ Residences and sports venues. A simulation of temporary closures of 19 toll gates will start on Tuesday.

Some 10 toll gates on the toll road heading from the Athletes’ Residences to the Bung Karno Sports Stadium will be closed between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. These toll gates are Ancol Barat, Jembatan Tiga 1, Angke 2, Tanjung Duren, Off Ramp RS Harapan Kita, Slipi 2, Podomoro, Rawamangun, Pedati and TMII.

Meanwhile, nine other toll gates heading the other way will be closed between noon and 9 a.m. These toll gates are Gedong, Panjang 2, Jembatan Tiga 2, Angke 1, Jelambar 1, Slipi 1, Sunter, Jatinegara, Kebon Nanas and TMII.

“Almost all 15,000 athletes reside in the Athletes’ Residence. Every day, they have to leave for eight sports venues in and around Jakarta. This still does not include officials, media persons, supporters and VIP guests as well as travels between the venues,” BPTJ spokesperson Budi Rahardjo said (Kompas, 28/07/2018).

Transjakarta

The Jakarta transportation agency will also use the Asian Games to encourage Jakartans to switch to using public transportation. There will be no parking spaces for private vehicles in the Games’ sports

venues. On the other hand, Transjakarta services would be maximized to accommodate people’s mobility.

PT Transportasi Jakarta president director Budi Kaliwono said that the company operated 1,600 buses in Transjakarta corridors, out of corridors and in expanded routes to Jakarta’s satellite cities. All buses are deployed on morning and afternoon peak hours, in line with the odd-even traffic policy.

Before the policy’s expansion, all Transjakarta buses were deployed on peak hours, namely between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., and between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m.

“This is to anticipate surge of passengers. Another scenario is to add the number of buses by operating operators’ reserve buses. This step is taken when the number of passengers surge,” Budi said. (DEA/KYR/E09/E11/E20)