“Especially for New Year, Puncak Pass will be closed from 6 p.m. until 6 a.m., just like last year,” National Police Traffic Corps chief Insp. Gen. Istiono said as quoted by kompas.com.

The police might also apply other traffic diversion methods, including “open and close” systems, to anticipate traffic congestion on roads leading to other tourist destinations such as the provincial capital Bandung city.

Whether or not such traffic-calming methods will be enforced, however, will depend on the situation in the field. “The measures are situational, depending on the local police,” Istiono said.

The annual Christmas and New Year holiday exodus started over the weekend, with holidaymakers flocking to the Jakarta-Cikampek elevated toll road to reach their destinations in West Java, Central Java, East Java and onward to Bali.

As many as 378,165 vehicles left Jakarta on the Jakarta-Tangerang toll road, Jakarta-Bogor toll road and Jakarta-Cikampek toll road on Friday and Saturday, according to state-owned toll operator PT Jasa Marga.

The Transportation Ministry predicts that 1.75 million passengers will travel by car or bus during the year-end holiday season this year — an increase from 1.69 million in 2018 and 4.42 million in 2017. (ami)

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