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New airport lanes cut travel time
On the first day of the operation of the newly constructed airport toll road lanes, commuters Monday enjoyed shorter travel times to Soekarno Hatta International Airport
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On the first day of the operation of the newly constructed airport toll road lanes, commuters Monday enjoyed shorter travel times to Soekarno Hatta International Airport.
Airport toll road operator PT Jasa Marga opened the two new lanes, adding to the two existing lanes, to motorists at 7 a.m. Monday.
The old lanes are for those heading to the airport, while the new ones on the left are designed for those heading to Kamal, Meruya and Daan Mogot in West Jakarta.
As a result of construction, the airport toll road has been widened and elevated in parts.
The toll road now splits after Kapuk toll gate.
"This morning, it took about 45 minutes from Blok M (South Jakarta) to the airport. Previously, it took more than one hour," Samin, an airport bus driver, told The Jakarta Post.
"I used to get caught in traffic during peak hours because motorists heading for Kamal or Meruya blocked the road. Now, the condition is much better," he said.
Samin's fellow bus driver, Jon Henri, agreed.
"During today's rush hours, the traffic to the airport was smoother than before. I hope that the elevated road can also prevent flooding during the wet season," Jon said.
While the road to the airport was free from congestion, the other way around tended to be packed with motorists because the road is still under construction.
Jasa Marga corporate secretary Okke Marlina said the company was also erecting two more new lanes for the reverse road.
"We hope the construction will be finished by the end of this year," Okke said.
Jasa Marga started the project in March to prevent annual flood damage, which affects the airport toll road during the rainy season.
The toll road has been flooded a couple of times, paralyzing access to the airport and causing delays for passengers and the cancellation of flights.
The project, however, has been opposed by several environment NGOs, including the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi), the Indonesian Consumer Foundation (YLKI) and the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH).
They previously claimed the project, which led to the destruction of 19 hectares of mangrove forest, would worsen flooding in the capital and that the fishermen who rely on the forest for their livelihoods would suffer.
They also urged Jasa Marga to replace the destroyed mangrove forest by planting trees at nearby locations.
Okke said her company had prepared a plot of land to replace the destroyed mangrove forest.
