One-Way and Open-Close Measures Fail to Work: This is the Root Cause of Persistent Peak Congestion

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Traffic congestion in the Puncak area, Bogor, has occurred again in recent days. This seems to have become an unavoidable ritual, especially during long weekends and holiday seasons such as Eid al-Fitr. Although various traffic engineering measures are applied, the issue continues to repeat without a truly comprehensive solution.

Transport Policy Analyst from FAKTA Indonesia, Azas Tigor Nainggolan, assesses that the congestion is not merely a technical issue on the ground but stems from a stagnant policy approach.

“If you look at it, the strategies used are always the same. Open-close, one-way, but they are never properly evaluated to see if they are still effective or not,” he told CNBC Indonesia on Thursday (26/3/2026).

According to him, the government relies too heavily on short-term traffic management schemes without touching the more fundamental root causes.

“Don’t just rely on open-close. There must be other, more comprehensive strategies,” he said.

Congestion in Puncak cannot be separated from the high dependence of the public on private vehicles.

“People end up using private vehicles because there are no adequate transport alternatives to get there,” he said.

This condition is exacerbated by the lack of an integrated public transport system to the tourist area.

“Public transport to areas like Puncak is almost non-existent in a way that is truly decent and easily accessible,” he said.

As long as this issue is not resolved, the surge in private vehicles will continue to occur every holiday period.

“If there are no other options, people will still bring their own cars or motorbikes,” he explained.

In addition, he also highlighted the lack of innovation in vehicle control policies.

“What should be controlled are the private vehicles, not restricting public transport instead,” he said.

Policies restricting certain public transport are counterproductive if not accompanied by strengthening public transportation.

“If public transport is restricted, people will have even fewer choices besides private vehicles,” he said.

Therefore, the government needs to change its approach from merely easing congestion to managing travel demand.

“It must be considered how to shift people to public transport, not just regulating vehicles on the road,” he said.

This means that long-term solutions can only be achieved if there is a serious commitment to building public transport in the area.

“As long as public transport is not built seriously, congestion in Puncak will continue to recur every year,” he concluded.