New Years Holiday Traffic Trumps Idul Fitri, Toll Operators Say
Bogor. Toll road officials have said traffic over the New Years long weekend was heavier than during the Idul Fitri holiday, particularly on roads connecting Jakarta and nearby cities.
Traffic peaked Monday (02/01) after the government had declared the day a holiday extension of New Year's Day on the Sunday.
Agus Komontoro, head of the Ciawai toll gate along the Jagorawi Toll road connecting Jakarta to popular holiday destination Puncak, Bogor, said traffic began mounting Sunday before peaking Monday morning with holidaymakers heading back to the city to resume work.
Traffic snarls on the Cisomang bridge, connecting Jakarta and West Java's Bandung, worsened the overall Jagorawi Toll situation.
Over 45,000 vehicles passed through the Ciawi Toll between 6.00 a.m. Sunday and 6.00 p.m. Monday, Agus said. This figure is higher than 2016's Lebaran holiday, traditionally the busiest traffic period each year.
Agus said traffic had eased by Monday afternoon, but was unwilling to predict conditions for the rest of the week.
Dwimawan Heru, spokesman for toll operator Jasa Marga, on Monday said 95,000 vehicles had entered the Cikarang Utama toll — the main gate for the Jakarta to Cikampek toll road. The figure is around 25 percent higher than on usual days.
Jasa Marga added some exit toll gates to ease traffic and optimize automated toll gates.
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