TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi, said that he will maximize the use of the North Coastal Road (Pantura) during the homecoming period. "What President Jokowi wants is to utilize the north coastal road," Budi said at the Presidential Complex on Thursday, May 9, 2019.

Budi said that during the homecoming period, the government is planning to apply a 'one way' policy for sections of the Trans Java toll road heading east, starting from kilometer 29 until kilometer 262, or until Brebes, Central Java. Meanwhile, people travelling west from the eastern part of Java will be diverted to the Pantura.

Meanwhile, during the return of the homecoming period, the directions will be reversed. People driving west from the eastern part of Java will be using the toll road, while people heading east will be rerouted to the Pantura.

Budi explained that the method was chosen to anticipate high traffic on toll roads heading for Central Java, East Java, and the surrounding areas. "Therefore, we must communicate intensely with the Police. We had even disseminate the information in Central Java and West Java, in Bandung," Budi said.

The one way policy was preferred based on evaluation of the contra-flow policy applied during the homecoming period last year. However, due to its short distance, the contra-flow method still resulted in traffic jams.

FRISKI RIANA