Prolonged weekend in city facilitates traffic flow

JAKARTA (JP): The government's decision to prolong the weekend to prevent traffic congestion during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting activities has facilitated traffic flow in the capital's streets which are usually clogged by cars.

An official of the City Land Transportation Control Agency, who asked for anonymity, said yesterday that the traffic situation in Jakarta was "under control".

"Traffic in the city is very smooth. There have been practically no serious traffic jams," he said.

The traffic congestion has moved to in and around Puncak, a hilly vacation resort some 75 kilometers from here, because thousands of Jakartans have flocked there to spend their long weekend, he said.

"We have recorded around 48,000 vehicles leaving Jakarta for the Puncak highlands since Thursday," he said.

The long weekend is based on a presidential decree declaring Nov. 14 and Nov. 15 as public holidays for all government and private sector offices, as well as schools.

Presidential Decree No. 74/1994, signed by President Soeharto on Nov. 7, stated that the gathering of the 18 leaders of the APEC forum and their activities in Jakarta and Bogor on those two days will likely cause "extraordinary traffic congestion" that will "inconvenience" the public.

Detail situation

Thanks to the decree, there are no traffic jams on most of the streets, which are known for their gridlock, such as Jl. Dr. Latumenten, Jl. S. Parman, Jl. Tomang Raya and Jl. A.K. Sasuit Tubun, all in West Jakarta, Jl. Gatot Subroto, Jl. K.H. Mas Mansyur, Jl. Sudirman and Jl. M.H. Thamrin, all in Central Jakarta.

In South Jakarta, where many housing estates are located such as Bintaro Jaya and Pondok Indah, the traffic situation was not as quiet but no traffic jams emerged.

The traffic situation on Jl. Ciputat, Jl. Pasar Minggu Raya, Jl. Dr. Saharjo, Jl. Prof. Dr. Soepomo, all also in South Jakarta, was very smooth.

A similar situation was found in the Cawang area and Jl. Inspeksi Kali Malang in East Jakarta.

Suara Pembaruan daily reported on Monday that many of the public transportation drivers in East Jakarta have little to do because there are practically no passengers to be carried.

The daily also said that there were no street vendors to be seen at the intersections on Jakarta's protocol roads because of the frequent patrols of the city security and order department officers. (mas)