Editorial: Pricing Jakarta’s roads

The Jakarta city administration appears likely to soon implement an Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system along major thoroughfares in the capital following the issuance of a central government regulation that would become the legal basis for the policy.

The public debate is now focused on how much the city thoroughfares will actually cost motorists. Whatever decision is eventually determined, the policy is expected to become a counter to the city’s daily traffic congestion and should be fair for all road users – particularly motorists who will be directly impacted by the new program.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono reportedly signed Government Regulation No. 32/2011 on Management and Engineering of Traffic on June 21, which is the main legal basis for the city administration to implement the ERP system. Another regulation is now being prepared by the Finance Ministry.

The first ERP zone will include Jl. Sisingamangaraja,
Jl. Sudirman, Jl. Thamrin, Jl. Merdeka Barat, Jl. Majapahit, Jl. Gajah Mada, Jl. Hayam Wuruk, Jl. Pintu Besar Selatan to Jl. Pintu Besar Utara, Jl. Gatot Soebroto, Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said and Jl. Asia-Afrika.

We believe that the ERP is one of the important solutions to addressing the traffic problem – a source of daily frustration for road users and a cause of economic inefficiency in the capital. Many existing roads are no longer capable of accommodating the increasing number of cars and motorcycles in Jakarta and its neighboring cities.

The imposition of the ERP, and perhaps other traffic restriction policies such as increased parking fees in major city business areas, will not only help the city collect more revenues, but also encourage more motorists to shift to public transportation.

The question is: How much will those thoroughfares cost motorists? The Jakarta City Police have proposed figures of between Rp 50,000 (US$5.85) and Rp 100,000, much higher than the proposal from the city administration of between Rp 6,500 and Rp 21,000.

The figure proposed by the City Police is understandable. Such a high ERP price will drastically discourage people from driving their own cars for daily transportation. At the same time, however, any traffic restriction policies must not curb the people’s mobilization.

Therefore, apart from deterring people from using private vehicles, the city administration, with the help of the central government, must continuously improve the city’s public transportation: Deploying more buses along the Transjakarta busway lanes, more train cars along the railway tracks, as well as consistently developing new transportation projects, including a mass rapid transit (MRT) system and a monorail.

The most important thing is that revenues from the ERP and other traffic restrictions must be allocated for improving city transportation facilities – public transportation, road maintenance and renovation of the degraded road side drainage system, which has often caused flooding along many busy roads during the rainy season.

The spirit behind implementing the ERP should not force additional burdens upon the people, but it should become part of the overall remedy for the city’s daily traffic chaos. Therefore, those who insist on enjoying the city’s main thoroughfares in their private cars would have to pay more. With the money generated, the city logically should be expected to have more money to develop better public transportation.

It is likely a win-win solution for all.