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Central Jakarta to host Car-Free Day this Sunday
The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Wed, 04/08/2009 3:48 PM | City
The Central Jakarta administration called on city residents Tuesday to take note of the traffic being shifting around Jl. Letjen. Suprapto during Car-Free Day this Sunday.
Like the monthly car-free events held on Jl. Sudirman and Jl. Thamrin in Central Jakarta, the one on Jl. Letjen. Suprapto will apply from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m and will see motorcycles, cars, taxis and three-wheeled vehicles barred from the road, in a bid to reduce air pollution in the city.
Only public transportation vehicles, such as Transjakarta buses and Metromini minivans, will be allowed to operate on the 2.5-kilometer road, which connects the Coca-cola intersection in Cempaka Putih with the Pasar Senen bus terminal and railway station.
Other vehicles will be rerouted to Jl. Tanah Tinggi Barat, Jl. Utan Panjang Barat, Jl. Bendungan Jago, Jl. Sunter Jaya, Jl. Kemayoran, Jl. Pramuka or Jl. Salemba Raya.
"Officers from the city police and transportation agency will give drivers the necessary information about the alternative routes," the administration said in a press statement.
To manage the event, the local police have prepared their officers.
"We will place more than 20 officers at 11 spots along the road," Johar Baru Police deputy chief Adj. Comr. Wiyono told The Jakarta Post.
During car-free days, residents take up exercise, while organizations set up booths to campaign for environmental awareness, and sporting clubs take to the streets to play sports like futsal.
The program, however, often draws complaints from drivers because of the abysmal congestion created along outlying roads.
The city repeatedly claims that the program, held 24 times since September 2007, is effective in reducing air pollution in the city.
According to the Jakarta Environmental Management Board's (BPLHD) 2008 data, dust particles in the air on Car-Free Day drops by 34 percent on average, carbon monoxide (CO) drops 67 percent and nitrogen oxide (NO) 80 percent.
Twenty-two car-free events are scheduled this year, 12 of them on Jl. Sudirman and Jl. Thamrin on the last Sunday of each month. (hwa)
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Desi (not verified) — Wed, 04/08/2009 - 7:50pm
O, Please. Reducing pollution on Sunday? Where is the logic? There is no traffic on sunday! It is actually the traffic jam along Jl. Sudirman-thamrin on that 'special' car-free-day that causes pollution! It also creates additional frustration for residence since it is the only day families can get together and the City Adm. has heart to rob 1 out of 4 sundays every month! Can someone please help the City Administration with better ideas??