TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Transportation Agency decided to eliminate the pop-up bike lanes set along Jalan Sudirman-Thamrin starting this weekend.

“No cycling activities and pedestrians allowed in Sudirman-Thamrin. Bike lanes will be dismissed on Sunday. Traffic cones will be eliminated,” said the agency head Syafrin Liputo at the City Hall, Monday, July 13.

Syafrin reiterated that the decision was made following the temporary closure of the Car Free Day or CFD event along the city’s main roads, Jalan Sudirman until Jalan MH Thamrin, Central Jakarta.

The Transportation Agency stopped the CFD since Jakartans crowded the event on June 14, 2020. At that time, health protocols could not be implemented ideally. To facilitate the public in cycling, the agency then expanded the temporary cycle lanes from 1.25 meters to 2.5 meters by setting up traffic cones.

However, Syafrin stated the Transportation Agency provided 30 roads as a special area for bicycles held every Sunday. According to him, after three weeks of CFD implementation, the event became more effective as the public was increasingly disciplined in adopting the health protocols amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There was a significant improvement in the implementation. People comply with the health protocols well, no one makes a crowd,” he added.

Syafrin reminded Jakarta residents that the special bicycle facilities are solely for exercising so that they are expected to use it wisely. He further underlined that people who are vulnerable to contracting COVID-19 are barred from joining the CFD, including people who are sick, children, and the elderly.

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TAUFIQ SIDDIQ