Indonesia’s infrastructure strategy has paved toll roads as its mobility backbone, 3,020.5 kilometers are operational by 2025, with another 1,571 kilometers planned over the next five years. 

When toll roads become increasingly vital to connectivity, reconciling tensions between the interests of toll road investors and operators vis-a-vis those of users is a contentious issue to address.

Article 44 of Law No. 38/2004 on roads as amended by Law No. 2/2022 states that toll roads are part of the public road network that function as alternative routes. Under certain conditions, toll roads can serve as non-alternative routes. In reality, a growing number of toll roads have now become the main route despite the availability of non-toll arterial roads.

The transformation is most visible along the trans-Java toll road, the backbone of northern Java’s land connectivity, displacing the once-dominant Pantura’s arterial roads. The same applies for Cipularang and Padaleunyi (Jakarta–Bandung), Jakarta–Merak and Jakarta’s Outer Ring Road (Jakarta-Bogor-Depok-Tangerang-Bekasi) toll roads.

This shift signals the emergence of a seller’s market, potentially leading to toll operators becoming better off at the expense of consumers.

A seller’s market occurs when demand outpaces supply or available alternatives. This gives the supplier, in this case, the toll road operator, a strong position to set prices. In many key toll sections, that is the emerging situation today.