MTI on Eid Homecoming Traffic Evaluation: Rest Areas Still Trigger Congestion

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Transportation Society (MTI) assessed that there were two factors causing road congestion during this year’s Eid homecoming traffic flow. Djoko Setijowarno as the MTI’s head of advocacy and community unit said the first was rest areas.

“Rest areas are still the scourge of traffic jams during the Eid homecoming traffic flow. It is necessary to separate parking zones from activity zones in order to smooth the flow of vehicles,” said Djoko in a written statement as quoted on Monday, May 9, 2022.

The second factor was public indiscipline. He mentioned that many drivers parked their vehicles for rest on the shoulder of toll roads, weaved in traffic or drove in a zigzag manner, did not have sufficient electronic money balance for passing toll gates, and were involved in traffic accidents.

The discipline and obedience of homecomers to traffic rules, said Djoko, were still low. This could be seen along toll roads and arterial roads. “There was also a driver who went viral on social media for crossing the road without officers’ knowing when the one-way traffic rule was implemented,” he added.

According to Djoko, traffic management efforts along the Trans Java toll road such as the odd-even policy, the one-way system, and the contra-flow system have been executed optimally. However, congestion during the mass exodus season was inevitable. What’s important was, he underlined, the traffic jams could be controlled.

On the other hand, Djoko claimed MTI lamented that there was no action taken by the authorities against various traffic violations during the Eid homecoming season that threaten the safety of road users.

Read: Jakarta Administration Predicts 50,000 Urban Migrants Arrive after Eid Mudik

EKA YUDHA SAPUTRA