TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government is aiming to finish the construction of the Cikampek-Palimanan Toll Road by mid-2015. "The Toll Road Regulatory Agency (BPJT) has guaranteed that by Eid of 2015, the Cikampek-Palimanan Toll Road can by used," said Coordinating Minister for the Economy Chairul Tanjung at his office on Monday, August 11, 2014.

Chairul said that once it has been finished, the Cikampek-Palimanan toll road would help ease traffic congestion often occurred at Simpang Jomin. "The problem is, the toll road may shift the congestion towards Pejagan so are looking into ways of manipulating the flow of traffic," said Chairul.

Chairul has mentioned that the government has begun preparing new routes to Pejagan from the Palimanan toll road. "Traffic into Pejagan will be separated into two separate routes, moving the congestion away from center of Pejagan. This stretch is currently being done by Waskita," he said.

Previously, the Deputy Minister of Transportation Bambang Susantono had promised that by 2015's Eid holiday season, the Cikampek-Palimanan toll road can be crossed free of charge to assist with the seasonal congestion at Simpang Jomin, which has frustrated holiday-makers and truck drivers alike, for years.

"The priority is to finish its' physical construction. The construction of the Cikampek-Palimanan toll road will be finished by next year, which means we can temporarily use it as a public road," said Bambang at his office.

AMOS SIMANUNGKALIT