The Jakarta administration may need to buckle down once more to find traffic congestion solutions as severe bottlenecks were seen on Tuesday along several recommended alternative routes for streets where the odd-even policy is now in effect.

The Jakarta Post observed that two recommended alternative routes, Jl. Prof. Dr. Satrio and Jl. HR Rasuna Said, both in the Setiabudi district, were packed from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. with odd license-plated private cars avoiding the regulated roads.

Traffic jams worsened as rain unceasingly pelted the city until the afternoon, inundating roads, including Jl. HR Rasuna Said.

According to data from the Jakarta Disaster Mitigation Agency, water 10 to 30 centimeters deep inundated some sections of Jl. HR Rasuna Said.

Similar gridlock was seen along Jl. Prof. Dr. Satrio. A motorcycle driver Achmad Murtadho, 28, said he even had to stop in front of the Lotte Shopping Avenue shopping mall to stretch his muscles as the traffic was almost motionless.

“Maybe cars with odd license plates are avoiding [streets implementing] the policy,” he said.

A private car driver, Soegiyanto, said he took Jl. Prof Dr. Satrio to avoid the odd-even policy.

“Well, this [traffic jam] is the consequence,” he told the Post over the phone.

Soegiyanto said Jl. Prof. Dr. Satrio was always congested during rush hours, but the traffic on Tuesday was much worse due to the implementation of the new policy.

The policy is in effect along several of the city’s main thoroughfares, namely Jl. Sudirman, Jl. MH Thamrin, Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat, Jl. Sisingamangaraja and a section of Jl. Gatot Subroto.

The Jakarta Transportation Agency has recommended both Jl. Prof. Dr. Satrio and Jl. HR Rasuna Said as alternative routes for motorists avoiding streets implementing the odd-even policy, which came into effect on Tuesday. Violators of the new regulation face a maximum fine of Rp 500,000
(US$ 37.63).

In addition to the above two roads, the agency also recommends that motorists from Pancoran heading to West Jakarta take Jl. Gatot Subroto, Jl. HR Rasuna Said, Jl. Dr. Satrio, Jl. Mas Mansyur, Jl. Pejompongan, Jl. Penjernihan, Jl. Gatot Subroto or Jl. S. Parman.

The agency also recommends motorists from Blok M heading to North Jakarta take Jl. Panglima Polim, Jl. Bulungan, Jl. Patiunus II, Jl Hamengkubuwono X, Jl. Hang Lekir, Jl. Asia Afrika II, Jl. Penjernihan, Jl. KH Mas Mansyur, Jl. Cideng Barat or Jl. Cideng Timur and Jl. Abdul Muis or Jl. Majapahit.

However, the Jakarta Transportation Agency might need to evaluate its advice given the results of the first day of the policy.

Agency head Andri Yansyah said the agency would coordinate with the Jakarta Police to evaluate alternative routes. “We will also improve road separators along Transjakarta bus corridors,” he said.

On the other hand, public transportation services using the regulated thoroughfares might benefit from the policy, as the number of PT Transportasi Jakarta (Transjakarta) passengers reportedly experienced a boost on Tuesday.

A customer service officer at Dukuh Atas Transjakarta bus stop in Central Jakarta said the number of passengers had nearly doubled between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. — the morning hours in which the policy is in effect — on Tuesday.

“Some passengers even came earlier, maybe because they expected that it would be more crowded,” said a male passenger who requested anonymity.

During the policy’s trial period from July 27 to Aug. 26, the police recorded a significant increase in the number of Transjakarta passengers during rush hours.

According to reports, there was a 32.6 percent increase to 70,850 passengers along corridor I (Blok M-Kota), a 27.2 percent increase to 28,636 along corridor VI (Ragunan-Dukuh Atas) and a 30.6 percent increase to 42,170 along corridor IV (Pinang Ranti-Pluit). (adt)

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