Please solve traffic jams

From Bisnis Indonesia

Ideally, we shouldn't be complaining about traffic jams after completion of many toll roads in Jakarta and its surroundings. We should be able to figure out how long our daily trips to and from our offices are going to take.

However, hopes for our toll roads are falling hopelessly short of our initial expectations. The promise that traffic problems would be solved once toll roads were constructed is hollow. Now, traffic jams even occur on toll roads. It takes as long to reach a destination either by toll or regular road.

I have to face this problem nearly every day because I live in Tangerang. The first stage of the toll road is smooth going, but once past the Kebon Jeruk toll gate, it is a totally different story.

The trouble starts right after the toll gate until the traffic lights at the Tomang crossroads. We have to admit that this strip is rather overloaded. The same condition can be observed on the Jl. S. Parman and Jl. Gatot Subroto (Cawang) toll roads.

We do not blame PT Jasa Marga or any other toll road developer for the situation, but this condition should be looked into.

I appeal to the respective authorities to find a solution for this increasingly worsening road problem. One can just imagine the losses being imposed on commuters if this condition drags on. Not just gasoline is lost in the process but also time. Immaterial losses include stress or fatigue, declining productivity, respiratory problems and others.

If the government has the political will to solve this particular problem, it should be able to find, once and for all, a comprehensive solution.

Maybe it is time to consult the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology, our national think tank, to eradicate the problem of clogged roads.

BONAVERA

Cimone, Tangerang