Ministry of Transport Implements Traffic Delay Strategy to Prevent Port Congestion During Lebaran Holiday
The Ministry of Transport (Kemenhub) has implemented a traffic delaying system and designated several buffer zones outside ports to manage vehicle congestion. Aan Suhanan, Director General of Land Transport at the Ministry, stated that the delaying system will be applied at multiple points on toll roads and arterial roads leading to ferry terminals.
“We have prepared the delaying system strategy and stationed buffer zones at several points to regulate vehicle queues heading to the ports, to prevent congestion at main access routes,” Aan said in a statement in Jakarta on Monday, 2 March 2026.
Aan explained that the delaying system and buffer zone arrangements are directed towards Merak Port and Bakauheni Port, as well as towards Ketapan Port and Gilimanuk Port. Specifically, the delaying system towards Merak and Ciwandan has been set up at rest areas at KM 43A and KM 68A on the Tangerang-Merak toll road section, and at PT Munic Line land on Jalan Cikuasa Atas and the Pelabuhan Indah Kiat parking area.
Additionally, Aan stated that traffic delay arrangements and buffer zones have also been established towards Bakauheni Port and Bandar Bakau Jaya (BBJ) Muara Pilu, specifically at rest areas at KM 172B on the Terbanggi Besar - Pematang Panggang - Kayu Agung toll road, and at points 87B, 49B, and 20B on the Bakauheni - Terbanggi Besar toll road section. On non-toll arterial roads, arrangements have been made at Gayam Agribusiness Terminal, Gunung Jati Restaurant, Tiga Saudara Restaurant, the Old Office of the Agricultural Quarantine Centre, PT SMA’s special terminal port, and in front of the BBJ Muara Pilu gate.
“The delaying system towards Bakauheni and BBJ Muara Pilu is spread across 10 buffer zone points with total parking capacity reaching 1,430 small vehicles. Implementation will begin 13-29 March 2026,” Aan said.
Meanwhile, to prevent long queues in the port vicinity, Aan added, ticket purchase restrictions will be enforced with a restricted radius of 4.71 kilometres from the centre point of Merak Port’s outer terminal (with the Pesona Merak Hotel as a reference point).