Mataram Civil Servants Increasingly Cycling to Work, Transport Department Admits Difficulty in Determining Bike Lanes

The trend of Mataram City Government (Pemkot) employees increasingly switching to cycling or “gowes” for commuting to work has not yet been matched by the availability of dedicated bike lanes. The Mataram City Transport Department (Dishub) is currently assessing the feasibility of bike lanes on several road sections.

“We are reviewing it first. How wide the road is, then which roads we want to use. Whether it’s provincial or national roads, because we need to obtain permission. If it’s a provincial road, we need permission from the province, but if it’s a national road, we need permission from the road authority,” said the Head of the Mataram City Transport Department, Zulkarwin, on Tuesday (7/4/2026).

He admitted that determining bike lanes is still hampered by the undirected usage pattern. Cyclists in Mataram are considered sporadic, making it difficult to designate specific routes.

“Now, the first thing we need to know is the direction of their travel destinations. If it’s still sporadic, to be honest, we’re having a bit of difficulty finding bike lanes. Because it’s impossible to turn all lanes into bike lanes,” he said.

While awaiting the completion of the study, Dishub is urging cyclists to remain cautious, use the left side of the road, and mutually respect other road users.

To anticipate congestion, Dishub will also deploy officers at several high-risk points.

“For now, we will secure the junction points, not the roadside areas. We hope that all road users are aware in using the roads, whether cyclists or two-wheeled or four-wheeled vehicle drivers,” he explained.

On the other hand, Zulkarwin provided tips for Pemkot Mataram employees to avoid traffic jams when heading to the office.

“To make the journey more relaxed, they can leave at 6 a.m. or half past 7. But I think the civil servants can manage their time so they’re not in a rush,” he emphasised.

Previously reported, Pemkot Mataram will mandate all civil servants (ASN) within Pemkot Mataram to switch to using pedal bicycles for commuting to work. This step is taken to reduce fuel consumption and improve employee expenditure efficiency.

Mataram Mayor Mohan Roliskana stated that they are studying the use of pedal bicycles for Pemkot Mataram employees. Considering that many employees have quite long distances from their workplaces.

“For employees whose commute distance is quite far from home to office, we will find alternatives. These alternatives will be conveyed later,” said Mohan previously.