Junction yellow box system introduced to ease traffic

Junction yellow box system introduced to ease traffic

JAKARTA (JP): Police reintroduced yesterday yellow boxes at
intersections in a bid to reduce the heavy traffic jams in some
areas.

City Police chief Maj. Gen. Hamami Nata said drivers will be
given two months to become accustomed to the boxes; anyone caught
violating the system during this period will not be sanctioned.

"We are allowing a one-month period for people to get used to
this system. Warnings will be given to violators during the
second month and legal sanctions will be imposed in the third
month," said Hamami.

According to City Police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang,
those who break the rules will be charged with violating 1992 Law
No. 14 on Traffic and Transportation Regulations.

"Breaking the yellow junction box rules is a violation of
Article 61 on traffic signs which carries a maximum penalty of
one year in jail or a Rp 1 million (US$116) fine," he said.

A yellow junction box comprises a box of yellow lines at the
four stop lines at intersections and two diagonals crossing in
the center of the box.

Under the system drivers are prohibited from entering the box
unless they can leave it before the traffic lights change. If
they are caught in the middle of the junction box when the lights
change they will have committed a traffic violation.

Hamami inaugurated yesterday the reintroduction of two yellow
junction boxes, at the Jl. Thamrin-Jl. KH Wahid Hasyim
intersection in Central Jakarta and at the Jl. Trunojoyo-Jl.
Pattimura intersection in South Jakarta.

Five more boxes would soon be set up in areas with severe
traffic jams, he said without naming the areas.

Hamami said that the most effective ways to reduce traffic
congestion were instilling driver discipline and goodwill to obey
the regulations.

"There will be no traffic jams if drivers care enough to
follow all the traffic signs and signals," he said.

He said new traffic signs had been prepared to support the
introduction of the yellow junction box system.

The City Police first introduced the system in 1993 when they
set up seven boxes.

Boxes were painted at the Jl. Pattimura-Jl. Trunojoyo
intersection, in front of the Al Azhar mosque on Jl.
Sisingamangaraja, and in front of the Pondok Indah Mall, all in
South Jakarta.

Two others were located at the Jl. Samanhudi-Jl. Gunung Sahari
and the Jl. Jembatan Besi intersections in Central Jakarta. The
remaining two were located in North Jakarta, in front of the
Pasar Ikan fish market on Jl. Pakin and in East Jakarta at the
Jl. Matraman-Jl. Pramuka intersection.

The system did not prove a success and was discontinued after
only a few months. (cst)